Remove-EventLog

Syntax

Remove-EventLog
      [[-ComputerName] <String[]>]
      [-LogName] <String[]>
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Remove-EventLog
      [[-ComputerName] <String[]>]
      [-Source <String[]>]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Remove-EventLog cmdlet deletes an event log file from a local or remote computer and unregisters all its event sources for the log. You can also use this cmdlet to unregister event sources without deleting any event logs.

The cmdlets that contain the EventLog noun, the EventLog cmdlets, work only on classic event logs. To get events from logs that use the Windows Event Log technology in Windows Vista and later versions of the Windows operating system, use Get-WinEvent.

CAUTION: This cmdlet can delete operating system event logs, which might cause application failures and unexpected system behavior.

Examples

Example 1: Remove an event log from the local computer

PS C:\> Remove-EventLog -LogName "MyLog"

This command deletes the MyLog event log from the local computer and unregisters its event sources.

Example 2: Remove an event log from several computers

PS C:\> Remove-EventLog -LogName "MyLog", "TestLog" -ComputerName "Server01", "Server02", "localhost"

This command deletes the MyLog and TestLog event logs from the local computer and the Server01 and Server02 remote computers. The command also unregisters the event sources for these logs.

Example 3: Delete an event source

PS C:\> Remove-EventLog -Source "MyApp"

This command deletes the MyApp event source from the logs on the local computer. When the command finishes, the MyApp program cannot write to any event logs.

Example 4: Remove an event log and confirm the action

The first command lists the event logs on the local computer.
PS C:\> Get-EventLog -List
Max(K) Retain OverflowAction        Entries Log
------ ------ --------------        ------- ---
15,168      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      22,923 Application
15,168      0 OverwriteAsNeeded          53 DFS Replication
15,168      7 OverwriteOlder              0 Hardware Events
512      7 OverwriteOlder              0 Internet Explorer
20,480      0 OverwriteAsNeeded           0 Key Management Service
30,016      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      50,060 Security
15,168      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      27,592 System
15,360      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      18,355 Windows PowerShell
15,168      7 OverwriteAsNeeded          12 ZapLog

The second command deletes the ZapLog event log.
PS C:\> Remove-EventLog -LogName "ZapLog"

The third command lists the event logs again. The ZapLog event log no longer appears in the list.
PS C:\> Get-EventLog -List
Max(K) Retain OverflowAction        Entries Log
------ ------ --------------        ------- ---
15,168      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      22,923 Application
15,168      0 OverwriteAsNeeded          53 DFS Replication
15,168      7 OverwriteOlder              0 Hardware Events
512      7 OverwriteOlder              0 Internet Explorer
20,480      0 OverwriteAsNeeded           0 Key Management Service
30,016      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      50,060 Security
15,168      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      27,592 System
15,360      0 OverwriteAsNeeded      18,355 Windows PowerShell

These commands show how to list the event logs on a computer and verify that a Remove-EventLog command was successful.

Example 5: Remove an event source and confirm the action

PS C:\> Get-WmiObject win32_nteventlogfile -Filter "logfilename='TestLog'" | foreach {$_.sources}
MyApp
TestApp
PS C:\> Remove-Eventlog -Source "MyApp"
PS C:\> Get-WmiObject win32_nteventlogfile -Filter "logfilename='TestLog'"} | foreach {$_.sources}
TestApp

These commands use the Get-WmiObject cmdlet to list the event sources on the local computer. You can these commands to verify the success of a command or to delete an event source.

The first command gets the event sources of the TestLog event log on the local computer. MyApp is one of the sources.

The second command uses the Source parameter of Remove-EventLog to delete the MyApp event source.

The third command is identical to the first. It shows that the MyApp event source was deleted.

Parameters

-ComputerName

-Confirm

-LogName

-Source

-WhatIf

Inputs

None

You cannot pipe input to this cmdlet.

Outputs

None

This cmdlet does not return any output.

Notes

• To use Remove-EventLog on Windows Vista and later versions of the Windows operating system, start Windows PowerShell by using the Run as administrator option.

  If you remove an event log and then re-create the log, you will not be able to register the same event sources. Applications that used the events sources to write entries to the original log will not be able to write to the new log.

• When you unregister an event source for a particular log, the event source might be prevented from writing entries in other event logs.

Related Links

• Clear-EventLog
• Get-EventLog
• Limit-EventLog
• New-EventLog
• Remove-EventLog
• Show-EventLog
• Write-EventLog