The Data Collector Set or one of its dependencies is already in use

Question

Trying to activate Performance monitor but got error message that says;

Performance Monitor

When attempting to start the Data Collector Set the following system error occurred:

The Data Collector Set or one of its dependencies is already in use.

Tried both user defined set and system defined.

The goal is to start performance test so I can check my cpu load over time.

Answer 1

This usually happens when an ETW trace session like NT Kernel Logger is already running and your Data Collector Set needs the same provider.

Close Performance Monitor and any other performance tools that might be tracing, for example Windows Performance Recorder or Resource Monitor. Open Command Prompt as administrator. Run the following to see what is active:

logman query -ets

If you see NT Kernel Logger or another session you recognize as related to a previous capture, stop it:

logman stop "NT Kernel Logger" -ets

To reset the logging service as well, run:

net stop pla
net start pla

Open Performance Monitor again and start your Data Collector Set. If it still fails, run logman query -ets once more and share the exact list it prints so we can stop the specific session that is blocking your set.

Answer 2

The error message "The Data Collector Set or one of its dependencies is already in use" typically indicates that there is an existing instance of the Data Collector Set running or that another process is currently using the resources required to start the Data Collector Set. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve this issue:

1. Check Running Data Collector Sets: Ensure that there are no other instances of the Data Collector Set running. You can do this by checking the Performance Monitor under the Data Collector Sets section to see if any sets are currently active.
2. Stop Existing Data Collector Sets: If you find that a Data Collector Set is already running, you can stop it by right-clicking on the set and selecting "Stop".
3. Restart Performance Monitor: Sometimes, simply restarting the Performance Monitor application can resolve issues related to resource locking.
4. Check Dependencies: If the Data Collector Set has dependencies on other services or processes, ensure that those are not currently in use or running.
5. Create a New Data Collector Set: If the issue persists, try creating a new Data Collector Set with a different name to see if that resolves the conflict.
6. System Restart: As a last resort, consider restarting your system to clear any locked resources that may be causing the issue.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the error and successfully start your performance test to monitor CPU load over time.

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References:

• Troubleshoot issues using Performance Monitor
• Scenario guide: Troubleshoot performance problems in Windows