SCVMM Tracing Made Easy!
So you’ve run into a problem with VMM. Maybe your Hosts have lost connectivity with the SCVMM Server. Or, P2V fails for a certain machine every time. If you’ve searched many TechNet blogs or forums for answers you have probably come to one conclusion: you’re going to have to run a trace to collect the required information.
How do I capture a trace? Armed with DbgView (available from Sysinternals.com) and a number of registry modifications, followed by service restarts on each involved machine, you’re ready to begin. Problem is, configuring a server for tracing is time consuming, tedious, and prone to human error. I’ve worked to alleviate your pain.
Easy? Seriously?
True. You need two files on each server you wish to run the trace on. The process is automated, requires very little input, and works. I’ll skip how it works other than to say it performs the work in Cheng’s article for you. Manual steps are below. If you would like to download a zip file with everything ready click here.
Instructions
1 – Download and save DbgView.exe from Sysinternals.
http://live.sysinternals.com/dbgview.exe
2 – Copy the text at bottom to NOTEPAD and save. (Saving to Word or otherwise will include unwanted characters). Name the saved file ‘sctrace.cmd’ making sure the actual extension is .CMD not .TXT.
3 – Place BOTH files in the same directory. (‘C:\Temp’ is good)
4 – From an ELEVATED command prompt change to the directory where the files are saved and type sctrace.cmd
Tips for Successful Tracing
Follow the instructions in the command prompt. Remember that the goal is to capture the issue while is is reproduced. If the problem is between a Host and the SCVMM Server, run this same script on both machines at the SAME TIME. We need both ends of the conversation to figure out what is going on. The script will provide an opportunity to get things kicked off on all servers then start all the traces at once.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to accommodate various environments, while at the same time keeping the length of the script to a minimum. This script may not work if you have a locked down system. This script is provided as is. That said, I would love to hear what you think of it. Corrections appreciated as well. Check back for version updates.
:: START SCRIPT COPY HERE
:: sctrace.cmd
:: v1.6
@echo off
if (%1)==(/?) goto :HELP
if (%1)==(-?) goto :HELP
if (%1)==(odsoff) goto :ODSOFF
:: Test Running Elevated
if not exist %windir%\SCVMM_TRACE\test (
mkdir %windir%\SCVMM_TRACE\test
)
If Not %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
echo Error: You must run this from an elevated command prompt
Goto End
)
:: Check for DbgView
if not exist dbgview.exe (
cls
echo DbgView is required to capture a trace.
echo Please download from http://live.sysinternals.com/dbgview.exe
echo and place in same directory as script.
echo.
echo.
Goto End
)
:: BIG NOTICE
cls
echo v1.6
echo.
echo YOU MUST FOLLOW 3 STEPS TO CAPTURE A TRACE
echo.
echo FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THIS SCREEN AT ALL TIMES
echo.
echo READ CAREFULLY
echo.
pause
:: Verify DbgView Settings
cls
echo.
echo STEP 1 of 3 - CONFIGURE DEBUGVIEW - STEP 1 of 3
echo.
echo - DebugView will open. Select the CAPTURE menu.
echo.
echo - Verify 'Capture Win32' and 'Capture Global Win32' are checked.
echo.
echo - Exit DebugView and return to this window.
echo.
echo.
CHOICE /C C /N /M "Press [C] to configure DbgView now."
IF errorlevel 1 dbgview.exe
:: Cleanup
rmdir %windir%\SCVMM_TRACE\test
Start taskkill /IM debugview.exe
Start taskkill /IM dbgview.exe
:Begin
:: Verify Environment
if not exist %windir%\SCVMM_TRACE\logs (
mkdir %windir%\SCVMM_TRACE\logs
)
:: Capture Exact Time to Prevent Overwrites
set hh=%time:~0,2%
if "%time:~0,1%"==" " set hh=0%hh:~1,1%
set yymmdd_hhmmss=%date:~12,2%%date:~4,2%%date:~7,2%_%hh%%time:~3,2%%time:~6,2%
:: Format and Remove Spaces
set Filepath=%windir%\SCVMM_TRACE\logs
set Filename=%Filepath%\%COMPUTERNAME%_%yymmdd_hhmmss%.log
set Filename=%filename: =%
::Enable Tracing
Reg Add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\Carmine" /v ODS /t REG_DWORD /d 00000001 /f
Reg Add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\Carmine" /v ODSFLAGS /t REG_DWORD /d 255 /f
:: Restart Services
cls
net stop vmmagent
net stop vmmservice
net start vmmagent
net start vmmservice
:: IISRESET will NOT occur unless /IIS switch is used
if (%1)==(iis) iisreset
:: Choose Systems
cls
echo.
echo STEP 2 of 3 - STAGE OTHER SERVERS - STEP 2 of 3
echo.
echo MAKE A DECISION... ONE SERVER OR MANY?
echo.
echo Start this trace on other involved systems now if needed.
echo When all systems are sitting at STEP 2 of 3 proceed below.
echo.
CHOICE /C C /N /M "Press [C] to continue when all systems ready."
IF errorlevel 1 Start Dbgview.exe /t /f /l %Filename%
:: All Systems GO!
:STOPDBGVIEW
cls
echo.
echo STEP 3 of 3 - TRACING NOW - STEP 3 of 3
echo.
echo Trace is capturing all activity on this system now.
echo Make sure all systems involved show STEP 3 of 3 then...
echo REPRODUCE YOUR ISSUE NOW.
echo.
echo Press [F] to Finish on all systems AFTER reproducing issue
echo.
CHOICE /C F /N
IF errorlevel 1 (
Start taskkill /IM debugview.exe
Start taskkill /IM dbgview.exe
cls
echo Writing out log file... Please wait
timeout /t 5
)
:: Disable Tracing
Reg Add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\Carmine" /v ODS /t REG_DWORD /d 00000000 /f
:: Open Explorer Showing Trace File
start %Filepath%
cls
echo DONE!
echo.
echo Provide the latest file in %FilePath% to support
echo.
echo.
Goto End
:HELP
cls
@echo Trace Options
@echo.
@echo From an elevated command prompt type Trace.cmd
@echo Options: /?, -? This Help Menu
@echo /odsoff Disable tracing
@echo /iis Perform iisreset
@echo.
@echo.
Goto End
:ODSOFF
Reg Add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\Carmine /v ODS /t REG_DWORD /d 00000000 /f
:END
:: STOP SCRIPT COPY HERE
jonjor
