What are PerfLogs (.etl files) & do I need them?

[Blithe]

I discovered a 'PerfLogs' folder on my boot drive - filled with over 20 megs
of 1,040 KB .etl files.

I Googled their function & got a ton of search hits that explained nothing
that made much sense and many that simply suggested that I compress the
files.

Do I need the folder or the files? What's their purpose? How long has my
system been accumulating this data? Who accesses it? I think you get the
idea. Please advise & suggest how we can better monitor our systems to
prevent such seemingly useless baggage from accumulating.

Thanks - Blithe

 

[John John]

They're most likely Event Trace Logs, you can delete the whole whack of
them. If they keep on reappearing then you will have to turn off Trace
Logs. This might help:

HOW TO: Create and Configure Performance Monitor Trace Logs in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302558

Creating Performance Alerts in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=244640

John

 

[Guest]

They appeared in my boot drive too. This was after I ran the Perfomance test
in Vista. If I run the "report.html" in \System\diagnostics\(date) then I can
see my last results in IE.

Performace logs=perflogs

Strange that Microsoft hasn't mentioned anything about this in the help