Looking at a client’s ConfigMgr Agent log files is inevitable when managing a Configuration Manager infrastructure. If you are working within a local area network only, then you will most likely just connect to the remote systems configuration manager log folder and drag and drop the appropriate log files into CMTrace.exe. But if your clients are distributed across a WAN network with slow network links opening the log file from a remote location is probably not the most efficient way for analyzing the log files content. And because troubleshooting typically requires looking at multiple log files you finally end up copying multiple log files or just the whole log folder to your client to open them locally.
I have therefore created the below listed Get-RemoteCMLogs.ps1 PowerShell script that does the following:
- Connect to the remote client via PowerShell Remoting
- On the remote client start a process to create a ZIP file containing the ConfigMgr logs folder and windowsupdate.log
- From the remote client create a new remote connection back to the host that invoked the script
- Transfer the ZIP file through the PowerShell Remoting session and store it locally with the users Documents Folder
The script uses two additional functions written by others. The ZIP File functions was written by Ken Sweet and the Send-File function was written by Lee Holmes.
Note that the use of this script requires that Windows Remote Management (WinRM) is enabled within your environment.
After you have downloaded the script from here. Open a PowerShell command prompt and enter
Get-RemotCMLogs.ps1 -Computer <Computername>,<Computername>
Next you will be prompted to enter your credentials. Enter a username and password that has permissions on the remote and local client.
Once completed, you will have the log files stored in your Documents \ RemoteCMlogs folder.
<#
.Synopsis
Gather Configuration Manager log files from remote systems
.DESCRIPTION
The script uses PowerShell remoting to connect to the remote client, then creates a ZIP archive file remotely
containing all Configuration Manager log files and then transfers the archive back.
.EXAMPLE
Get-RemoteCMLogs -Computer computer1, computer2
.NOTES
Version 1.0
Written by Alex Verboon, Zip function written by Kenneth D. Sweet, Send-File function wirtten by lee holmes
Requirements: WinRM must be enabled
#>
[cmdletbinding()]
Param(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True,Position=0)]
[string[]]$Computername
)
Function Get-CMLogs ($Computername) {
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Global Variables
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# The location where the CM Agent log files are stored, will make this dynamic in a future release
# currently this relates to the CM12 Agent
$CMLogFldr = "C:\Windows\CCM\Logs"
$ThisComputer = [System.Net.Dns]::GetHostByName(($env:computerName)).HostName
#The folder where the log archive files are stored to
$localtmpfolder = "$env:USERPROFILE\Documents\RemoteCMLogs"
#Check if the RemoteCMlogs folder already exists othrwise create it
If (!(Test-path $localtmpfolder)) {New-Item -ItemType directory -Path $localtmpfolder}
$cred = Get-Credential
Function ZIP-CMlogs ($Computername, $CMLogFldr, $ThisComputer,$cred,$localtmpfolder) {
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# ZIP File Function. Credits for this function go to Kenneth D. Sweet
# http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/ZIP-Files-script-b5374a5d/view/Discussions#content
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Function Zip-File () {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Add, Removes, and Extracts files and folders to a Zip Archive
.DESCRIPTION
Add, Removes, and Extracts files and folders to a Zip Archive
.PARAMETER ZipFile
Name os Zip Archive
.PARAMETER Add
Names of Files or Folders to Add to Zip Archive
Will not overwrite existing Files in the Zip Archive
Will only add in Files from Sub Folders to the Zip Archive when you add a Folder
.PARAMETER Remove
Names of Files or Folders to Remove from Zip Archive
If "Display Delete Confirmation" is enable you will be prompted confirm to Remove each File
.PARAMETER Extract
Names of Files or Folders to Extract from Zip Archive
Recreates Folders structure when extracting Files, even Folders that have no Matching Files to Extract
.PARAMETER Destination
Destination Folder to Extract Files or Folders to
.PARAMETER Folders
Add, Remove, or Extract Folders instead of Files from the Zip Archive
.PARAMETER List
List the Contents of the Zip Archive
.INPUTS
.OUTPUTS
.NOTES
Written by Kenneth D. Sweet CopyRight (c) 2012
Add, Removes, and Extracts files and folders to a Zip Archive
.EXAMPLE
Zip-File -ZipFile "C:\Test.zip" -Add "C:\Temp\Temp_01.txt", "C:\Temp\Temp_02.txt"
.EXAMPLE
Zip-File -ZipFile "C:\Test.zip" -Add "C:\Temp_01", "C:\Temp_02" -Folders
.EXAMPLE
Zip-File -ZipFile "C:\Test.zip" -Remove "*.xls", "*.xlsx"
.EXAMPLE
Zip-File -ZipFile "C:\Test.zip" -Remove "Temp_01" -Folders
.EXAMPLE
Zip-File -ZipFile "C:\Test.zip" -Extract "*.doc", "*.docx"-Destination "C:\Temp"
.EXAMPLE
Zip-File -ZipFile "C:\Test.zip" -Extract "Temp_02" -Destination "C:\Temp" -Folders
.EXAMPLE
Zip-File -ZipFile "C:\Test.zip" -List
.LINK
Ken Sweet Rules the MultiVerse
#>
[CmdletBinding(DefaultParameterSetName="Add")]
Param(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="Add")]
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="Remove")]
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="Extract")]
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="List")]
[String]$ZipFile,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="Add")]
[String[]]$Add,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$False, ParameterSetName="Add")]
[Switch]$Recurse,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="Remove")]
[String[]]$Remove,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="Extract")]
[String[]]$Extract,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$False, ParameterSetName="Extract")]
[String]$Destination=$PWD,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$False, ParameterSetName="Add")]
[Parameter(Mandatory=$False, ParameterSetName="Remove")]
[Parameter(Mandatory=$False, ParameterSetName="Extract")]
[Switch]$Folders,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True, ParameterSetName="List")]
[Switch]$List
)
DynamicParam {
if ($ZipFile -match ".*Zip\\.*") {
$NewAttrib = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.ParameterAttribute
$NewAttrib.ParameterSetName = "List"
$NewAttrib.Mandatory = $True
$AttribCollection = New-Object -TypeName System.Collections.ObjectModel.Collection[System.Attribute]
$AttribCollection.Add($NewAttrib)
$DynamicParam = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.RuntimeDefinedParameter("Path", [String], $AttribCollection)
$paramDictionary = New-Object -TypeName System.Management.Automation.RuntimeDefinedParameterDictionary
$paramDictionary.Add("Path", $DynamicParam)
return $ParamDictionary
}
}
Begin {
$Shell = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application
if (![System.IO.File]::Exists($ZipFile) -and ($PSCmdlet.ParameterSetName -eq "Add")) {
Try {
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText($ZipFile, $("PK" + [Char]5 + [Char]6 + $("$([Char]0)" * 18)))
}
Catch {
}
}
$ZipArchive = $Shell.NameSpace($ZipFile)
if ($PSCmdlet.ParameterSetName -eq "Add") {
$TempFolder = "$([System.IO.Path]::GetTempPath())$([System.IO.Path]::GetRandomFileName())"
if (![System.IO.Directory]::Exists($TempFolder)) {
[Void][System.IO.Directory]::CreateDirectory($TempFolder)
}
}
}
Process {
Switch ($PSCmdlet.ParameterSetName) {
"Add" {
Try {
if ($Folders) {
ForEach ($File in $Add) {
$SearchPath = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($File)
$SearchName = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileName($File)
$DirList = [System.IO.Directory]::GetDirectories($SearchPath, $SearchName)
$Total = $ZipArchive.Items().Count
ForEach ($Dir in $DirList) {
$ParseName = $ZipArchive.ParseName([System.IO.Path]::GetFileName($Dir))
if ([String]::IsNullOrEmpty($ParseName)) {
if (!$Recurse) {
# Write-Host "Adding Folder: $Dir " original line from zip function
Write-Host "Processing Computer: $Computername Adding Folder: $Dir to $filename" # customized message
}
$ZipArchive.CopyHere($Dir, 0x14)
Do {
[System.Threading.Thread]::Sleep(100)
} While ($ZipArchive.Items().Count -eq $Total)
} else {
if (!$Recurse) {
Write-Host "Folder Exists in Archive: $Dir"
}
}
}
}
} else {
ForEach ($File in $Add) {
$SearchPath = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($File)
$SearchName = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileName($File)
$FileList = [System.IO.Directory]::GetFiles($SearchPath, $SearchName)
$Total = $ZipArchive.Items().Count
ForEach ($File in $FileList) {
$ParseName = $ZipArchive.ParseName([System.IO.Path]::GetFileName($File))
if ([String]::IsNullOrEmpty($ParseName)) {
Write-Host "Adding File: $File"
$ZipArchive.CopyHere($File, 0x14)
Do {
[System.Threading.Thread]::Sleep(100)
} While ($ZipArchive.Items().Count -eq $Total)
} else {
Write-Host "File Exists in Archive: $File"
}
}
if ($Recurse) {
$DirList = [System.IO.Directory]::GetDirectories($SearchPath)
ForEach ($Dir in $DirList) {
$NewFolder = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileName($Dir)
if (!$ZipArchive.ParseName($NewFolder)) {
[Void][System.IO.Directory]::CreateDirectory("$TempFolder\$NewFolder")
[System.IO.File]::WriteAllText("$TempFolder\$NewFolder\.Dir", "")
Zip-File -ZipFile $ZipFile -Add "$TempFolder\$NewFolder" -Folders -Recurse
}
$NewAdd = @()
ForEach ($Item in $Add) {
$NewAdd += "$([System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($Item))\$NewFolder\$([System.IO.Path]::GetFileName($Item))"
}
Zip-File -ZipFile "$ZipFile\$NewFolder" -Add $NewAdd -Recurse:$Recurse
}
}
}
}
}
Catch {
Throw "Error Adding Files to Zip Archive"
}
Break
}
"Remove" {
Try {
ForEach ($File in $Remove) {
if ($Folders) {
$($ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { $_.IsFolder -and (($_.Name -eq $File) -or ($_.Name -match $File.Replace('.', '\.').Replace('*', '.*'))) }) | ForEach-Object -Process { Write-Host "Removing Folder: $($_.Name)"; $_.InvokeVerbEx("Delete", 0x14) }
} else {
$($ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { !$_.IsFolder -and (($_.Name -eq $File) -or ($_.Name -match $File.Replace('.', '\.').Replace('*', '.*'))) }) | ForEach-Object -Process { Write-Host "Removing File: $($_.Name)"; $_.InvokeVerbEx("Delete", 0x14) }
}
}
ForEach ($Folder in $($ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { $_.IsFolder })) {
Zip-File -ZipFile "$ZipFile\$($Folder.Name)" -Remove $Remove -Folders:$Folders
}
}
Catch {
Throw "Error Removing Files from Zip Archive"
}
Break
}
"Extract" {
Try {
if (![System.IO.Directory]::Exists($Destination)) {
[Void][System.IO.Directory]::CreateDirectory($Destination)
}
$DestFolder = $Shell.NameSpace($Destination)
ForEach ($File in $Extract) {
if ($Folders) {
$($ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { $_.IsFolder -and (($_.Name -eq $File) -or ($_.Name -match $File.Replace('.', '\.').Replace('*', '.*'))) }) | ForEach-Object -Process { Write-Host "Extracting Folder: $($_.Name) to $Destination"; $DestFolder.CopyHere($_, 0x14) }
} else {
$($ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { !$_.IsFolder -and (($_.Name -eq $File -and $_.Name -ne ".Dir") -or ($_.Name -match $File.Replace('.', '\.').Replace('*', '.*'))) }) | ForEach-Object -Process { Write-Host "Extracting File: $($_.Name) to $Destination"; $DestFolder.CopyHere($_, 0x14) }
}
}
ForEach ($Folder in $($ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { $_.IsFolder })) {
Zip-File -ZipFile "$ZipFile\$($Folder.Name)" -Extract $Extract -Destination "$Destination\$($Folder.Name)" -Folders:$Folders
}
}
Catch {
$Error[0]
Throw "Error Extracting Files from Zip Archive"
}
Break
}
"List" {
Try {
$ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { !$_.IsFolder -and $_.Name -ne ".Dir" } | Select-Object -Property "Name", "Size", "ModifyDate", "Type", @{"Name"="Path";"Expression"={$(if ($($PSCmdlet.MyInvocation.BoundParameters["Path"])) {$($PSCmdlet.MyInvocation.BoundParameters["Path"])} else {"\"})}}
ForEach ($Folder in $($ZipArchive.Items() | Where-Object -FilterScript { $_.IsFolder })) {
Zip-File -ZipFile "$ZipFile\$($Folder.Name)" -List -Path "$(if ($($PSCmdlet.MyInvocation.BoundParameters["Path"])) {$($PSCmdlet.MyInvocation.BoundParameters["Path"])})\$($Folder.Name)"
}
}
Catch {
Throw "Error Listing Files in Zip Archive"
}
Break
}
}
}
End {
$Shell = $Null
$ZipArchive = $Null
if ($PSCmdlet.ParameterSetName -eq "Add") {
if ([System.IO.Directory]::Exists($TempFolder)) {
[Void][System.IO.Directory]::Delete($TempFolder, $True)
}
}
}
}
# end of ZIP-File Function
Function Send-File {
##############################################################################
##
## Send-File
##
## From Windows PowerShell Cookbook (O'Reilly)
## by Lee Holmes (http://www.leeholmes.com/guide)
##
## http://www.powershellcookbook.com/recipe/ISfp/program-transfer-a-file-to-a-remote-computer
##############################################################################
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Sends a file to a remote session.
.EXAMPLE
PS >$session = New-PsSession leeholmes1c23
PS >Send-File c:\temp\test.exe c:\temp\test.exe $session
#>
param(
## The path on the local computer
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
$Source,
## The target path on the remote computer
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
$Destination,
## The session that represents the remote computer
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
[System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSession] $Session
)
Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
## Get the source file, and then get its content
$sourcePath = (Resolve-Path $source).Path
$sourceBytes = [IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($sourcePath)
$streamChunks = @()
## Now break it into chunks to stream
Write-Progress -Activity "Sending $Source" -Status "Preparing file"
$streamSize = 1MB
for($position = 0; $position -lt $sourceBytes.Length;
$position += $streamSize)
{
$remaining = $sourceBytes.Length - $position
$remaining = [Math]::Min($remaining, $streamSize)
$nextChunk = New-Object byte[] $remaining
[Array]::Copy($sourcebytes, $position, $nextChunk, 0, $remaining)
$streamChunks += ,$nextChunk
}
$remoteScript = {
param($destination, $length)
## Convert the destination path to a full filesytem path (to support
## relative paths)
$Destination = $executionContext.SessionState.`
Path.GetUnresolvedProviderPathFromPSPath($Destination)
## Create a new array to hold the file content
$destBytes = New-Object byte[] $length
$position = 0
## Go through the input, and fill in the new array of file content
foreach($chunk in $input)
{
Write-Progress -Activity "Writing $Destination" `
-Status "Sending file" `
-PercentComplete ($position / $length * 100)
[GC]::Collect()
[Array]::Copy($chunk, 0, $destBytes, $position, $chunk.Length)
$position += $chunk.Length
}
## Write the content to the new file
[IO.File]::WriteAllBytes($destination, $destBytes)
## Show the result
Get-Item $destination
[GC]::Collect()
}
## Stream the chunks into the remote script
$streamChunks | Invoke-Command -Session $session $remoteScript `
-ArgumentList $destination,$sourceBytes.Length
}
### End of Send-File function
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Below are the commands we execute remotely
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Get the Windows Temp folder on the remote system
$tmpfolder = "$env:SystemRoot\TEMP\"
# create timestamp variable
$timestamp = $((get-date).tostring("MMddyyyyHHmmss"))
# construct the filename including the path
$filename = "cmlog_" + $Computername + "_" + $timestamp + ".zip"
# Generate ZIP file with content from CM log folder. Note the $CMLogFldr variable is defined at the top of the script.
If (Test-path $CMLogFldr) {zip-file -ZipFile "$tmpfolder$filename" -Add $CMLogFldr -Folders} Else {Write-Warning "Could not find folder" $CMLogFldr}
# Because the Windowsupdate.log file is also important we also collect it
If (Test-path "$env:Systemroot\Windowsupdate.log") {zip-file -ZipFile "$tmpfolder$filename" -Add "$env:Systemroot\Windowsupdate.log"} Else {Write-Warning "Could not find $env:Systemroot\Windowsupdate.log" }
# On the remote machine, start a new remote session back to the script execution host
$RSession = New-PSSession $ThisComputer -Credential $cred
# Transfer the logs archive through the open session
Send-File "$tmpfolder$filename" "$localtmpfolder\$filename" $RSession
# close the session from the remote host to the script execution host
Remove-PSSession $RSession
}
# End of ZIP-CMLogs function
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Commands from Get-CMLogs Main function
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
# Process all computers provided
ForEach ($iComputername in $Computername)
{
Function Get-Remotelogs {
# Settings this option prevents the creation of the user profile on the remote system
$SesOpt = New-PSSessionOption -NoMachineProfile
# Start a new Remote Session
$ses = New-PSSession -ComputerName $iComputername -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -SessionOption $SesOpt
# Execute the ZIP-CMLogs function on the remote machine.
$ab = Invoke-Command -Session $ses -ScriptBlock ${function:ZIP-CMlogs} -ArgumentList $iComputername, $CMLogFldr,$ThisComputer,$cred,$localtmpfolder
# Clsoe the session
Remove-PSSession $ses
}
Get-Remotelogs $iComputername
}
}
# End of Get-CMLogs function
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
Get-CMLogs $Computername
Note that the script is written to work with Configuration Manager 2012 Clients. I am planning for an updated version that first checks the agent version and then detects the log folder location. If you want to use the script for ConfigMgr 2007 agents simply adjust the $CMLogFldr variable at the beginning of the script.
Any comments, inputs are welcome.
Happy log file collecting!
This is to inform you that I had gone through your article it was very helpful for me as I was searching for a solution to open a remote SCCM2012 Client machine log file by CMtrace.exe which was spread across the globe through a WAN network. We are doing a Windows 7 Migration project from Windows XP Machines where if a task sequence fails, we need to troubleshoot it as soon as possible by checking the smsts.log file so my plan is not to copy the entire log file to My Document but I should be able to open the remote machine smsts.log file from my local machine through CMTrace.exe by the powershell script as soon as I enter the computer name into powershell I guess you are getting my point?
Usually by typing the full UNC Path \\computername\c$\windows\ccm\logs\smsts.log I used to open the log file. for one machine it is ok but if it is several machine it is a time consuming job.
So now I need a powershell script which should open the particular log file which is located in the remote machine as soon as I enter the computer name and it should open through the CMTrace tool from the local system itself from where I am working on….