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How to enable the Volume Shadow Copy service's debug tracing features in Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008

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This article describes how to enable the Volume Shadow Copy service's debug tracing features in Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008.

Original KB number:   887013

Important

This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, see Windows registry information for advanced users.

Steps to enable the Volume Shadow Copy service's debug tracing features

Note

Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To enable the Volume Shadow Copy service's debug tracing features in Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

  2. In Registry Editor, locate the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VSS

  3. In the left pane, right-click VSS, point to New, and then click Key.

  4. Type Debug, and then press ENTER.

  5. In the left pane, right-click Debug, point to New, and then click Key.

  6. Type Tracing, and then press ENTER.

  7. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

  8. Type TraceLevel, and then press ENTER.

  9. Double-click TraceLevel, and then type ffffffff in the Value data box. That is, type f eight times in the Value data box. Click OK.

    Note

    The TraceLevel registry entry determines the type of debug tracing that will occur. A value of 0 (the default) indicates that no tracing will occur. A value of ffffffff turns on tracing for all events.

  10. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

  11. Type TraceEnterExit, and then press ENTER.

  12. Double-click TraceEnterExit, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

    Note

    The TraceEnterExit registry entry determines whether the entry and exit information of the function is output to the trace file and to the debug output stream. A value of 0 (the default) indicates that no entry and exit information of the function is output. A value of 1 indicates that the entry and exit information of the function is output.

  13. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

  14. Type TraceToFile, and then press ENTER.

  15. Double-click TraceToFile, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

    Note

    The TraceToFile registry entry determines whether trace information is output to the trace file. A value of 0 (the default) indicates that no trace information is output to the trace file. A value of 1 indicates that the trace information is output to the trace file. If you set the value to 1, you must also set the TraceFile registry entry. To set the TraceFile registry entry, follow these steps:

    1. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click String Value.
    2. Type TraceFile, and then press ENTER.
    3. Double-click TraceFile, type c:\trace.txt in the Value data box, and then click OK.

    The TraceFile registry entry cannot be stored on the disk where the shadow copy is created.

  16. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

  17. Type TraceToDebugger, and then press ENTER.

  18. Double-click TraceToDebugger, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

    Note

    The TraceToDebugger registry entry determines whether trace information is output to the debug output stream. A value of 0 (the default) indicates that no trace information is output to the debug output stream. A value of 1 indicates that the trace information is output to the debug output stream.

  19. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

  20. Type TraceTimeStamp, and then press ENTER.

  21. Double-click TraceTimeStamp, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

    Note

    The TraceTimeStamp registry entry determines whether the time stamp information is output to the trace file and to the debug output stream. A value of 0 (the default) indicates that no time stamp information is output. A value of 1 indicates that the time stamp information is output.

  22. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

  23. Type TraceFileLineInfo, and then press ENTER.

  24. Double-click TraceFileLineInfo, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

    Note

    The FileLineInfo registry entry determines whether the module file name information and the line number information are output to the trace file and to the debug output stream. A value of 0 (the default) indicates that no module file name information and no line number information are output. A value of 1 indicates that the module file name information and the line number information are output.

  25. In the left pane, right-click Tracing, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.

  26. Type TraceForceFlush, and then press ENTER.

  27. Double-click TraceForceFlush, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

    Note

    The TraceForceFlush registry entry determines whether a forced flush occurs after each trace message is written to the trace file. A value of 0 (the default) indicates that no forced flush occurs. A value of 1 indicates that a forced flush occurs. When a forced flush occurs, no trace records are ever lost, but computer performance is greatly reduced.

  28. Quit Registry Editor.

For more information about the Volume Shadow Copy service, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Volume Shadow Copy Service