Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
Microsoft Dynamics CRM lets you create trace files that monitor the actions that are performed by Microsoft CRM. Trace files are helpful when you have to troubleshoot error messages or other issues in Microsoft CRM.
You can create unmanaged trace files and managed trace files. The information in the unmanaged and managed trace files is determined by required and optional registry entries that you create manually. You create these registry entries on the Microsoft CRM server or on the computer that is running the Microsoft CRM client for Microsoft Office Outlook after you install Microsoft CRM or the Microsoft CRM client for Outlook.
In Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and 2013, you can also enable tracing by using Windows PowerShell applets. See the "Enable trace settings through Windows PowerShell" section for more information.
Required registry entries
The following are the required registry entries. For more information about the location of these registry entries, see the "Registry entry locations" section.
| Name |
Type |
Data value |
Notes |
| TraceEnabled |
DWORD |
A value of 0 or 1 |
If you use a value of 0, tracing is disabled. If you use a value of 1, tracing is enabled. |
| TraceDirectory |
String |
C:\CRMTrace |
The TraceDirectory registry entry specifies the directory for the trace log files. The directory must exist, and the user who starts the Microsoft CRMAppPool must have full control over this directory. When you install Microsoft CRM, the default user is NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE. This entry is only required for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. For later versions, the trace directory is set to the install location of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM program files, C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics CRM\Trace |
| TraceRefresh |
DWORD |
A number between zero and 99 |
When the data is changed, the trace settings in the other trace registry entries are applied. |
Optional registry entries
The following are the optional registry entries.
| Name |
Type |
Data value |
Notes |
| TraceCategories |
String |
Category.Feature:TraceLevel |
The TraceCategories registry entry is a combination of a category, a feature, and a trace level. You can specify multiple categories, features, and trace levels. Separate each combination by using a semicolon. For a list of categories, features, and trace levels and for sample combinations that are valid, see the "Trace level values" section. |
| TraceCallStack |
DWORD |
A value of 0 or 1 |
If you use a value of 0, the call stack is not included in the trace file. If you use a value of 1, the call stack is included in the trace file. |
| TraceFileSizeLimit |
DWORD |
A size between 1 and 100 MB |
The TraceFileSizeLimit registry entry specifies the maximum size of trace files. New files are created when the limit is reached. |
If you do not create the optional registry entries, the default data values are used. For more information about the default data values, see the "Default data values for optional registry entries" section. If you create the registry entries but do not specify data values for the registry entries, tracing will not work.
Enable trace settings through Windows PowerShell
Note These changes made in Windows PowerShell do not update the Registry. These changes update the DeploymentProperties and ServerSettingsProperties tables in the MSCRM_CONFIG database.
Register the cmdlets
- Log in to the administrator account on your Microsoft Dynamics CRM server.
- In a Windows PowerShell window, type the following command:
Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.Crm.PowerShell
This command adds the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Windows PowerShell snap-in to the current session. The snap-in is registered during the installation and setup of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM server.
To obtain a list of the current settings, type the following command:
Get-CrmSetting TraceSettings
The output will resemble the following:
CallStack : True Categories : *:Error Directory : c:\crmdrop\logs Enabled : False FileSize : 10 ExtensionData : System.Runtime.Serialization.ExtensionDataObject
Set the trace settings
- Type the following command:
$setting = Get-CrmSetting TraceSettings
- Type the following command to enable tracing:
$setting.Enabled=$True
- Type the following command to set the trace settings:
Set-CrmSetting $setting
- Type the following command to get a current list of the trace settings:
Get-CrmSetting TraceSettings
To disable tracing through Windows PowerShell, follow these same steps, except use the following command in step 2:
$setting.Enabled=$False
Note The format of the example commands for each value should be as follows:
$setting.Enabled=
$EnabledValue ($True or $False)
$setting.CallStack=
$StackValue ($True or $False)
$setting.Categories
="*:Verbose"
$setting.Directory
="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics CRM\Trace"
$setting.FileSize=
10
The output will resemble the following:
CallStack : True Categories : *:Error Directory : c:\crmdrop\logs Enabled : True FileSize : 10 ExtensionData : System.Runtime.Serialization.ExtensionDataObject
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0, 2011, and 2013 trace log file locations
When you create a trace in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the Trace Directory registry key is ignored. For tracing on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the trace log file is created in the following folder:
Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Dynamics CRM\Trace
For tracing on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 client for Microsoft Office Outlook and for tracing on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Data Migration Manager, the trace log file is created in the following folder if you do not have Update Rollup 7 or a later cumulative update:
DriveName:\Documents and Settings\ InstallingUser \Application Data\Microsoft\MSCRM\Traces
For tracing on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 or 2013 client for Microsoft Office Outlook and the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 client for Microsoft Office Outlook and for tracing on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Data Migration Manager, the trace log file is created in the following folder if you have Update Rollup 7 or a later cumulative update installed:
DriveName:\ InstallingUser \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\MSCRM\Traces
Registry entry locations
The
Microsoft CRM server tracing registry entries are located in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\MSCRM
The
Microsoft CRM client for Outlook tracing registry entries are located in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\MSCRMClient
The
Microsoft Dynamics CRM SSRS Data Connector tracing registry entries are located in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\MSCRMBidsExtensions
The
Microsoft CRM Data Migration Manager tracing registry entries are located in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\DATA MIGRATION WIZARD
Complete list of category values for the TraceCategories registry entry
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and 2013
- ADUtility
- Application
- Application.Outlook
- DataMigration
- Deployment
- Deployment.Provisioning
- Deployment.Sdk
- Exception
- Etm
- Live
- Live.AggregationDataExport
- Live.PartnerInteraction
- Live.Platform
- Live.Portal
- Live.Provisioning
- Live.Support
- Live.SyncDaemon
- Monitoring
- NewOrgUtility
- ObjectModel
- ParameterFilter
- Platform
- Platform.Async
- Platform.ImportExportPublish
- Platform.Import
- Platform.Metadata
- Platform.Sdk
- Platform.Soap
- Platform.Sql
- Platform.Workflow
- Reports
- Sandbox
- Sandbox.AssemblyCache
- Sandbox.LoadBalancer
- Sandbox.CallReturn
- Sandbox.EnterExit
- Sandbox.StartStop
- Sandbox.Performance
- Sandbox.Monitoring
- SchedulingEngine
- ServiceBus
- Shared
- SharePointCollaboration
- Solutions
- Unmanaged.Outlook
- Unmanaged.Platform
- Unmanaged.Sql
- Visualizations
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
- *
- Application.*
The Application.* category includes the following:
- Exception
- ObjectModel
- ParameterFilter
- Platform.*
The Platform.* category includes the following:
- Platform.ImportExportPublish
- Platform.Sdk
- Platform.Metadata
- Platform.Sql
- Platform.Workflow
- Platform.Soap
- Platform.Async
- SchedulingEngine.*
- Unmanaged.*
The Unmanaged.* category includes the following:
- Unmanaged.Outlook
- Unmanaged.Platform
- Unmanaged.Sql
Trace level values
Complete list of valid trace level values for TraceLevel
- Off
- Error
- Warning
- Info
- Verbose
Note A message is logged only if the trace level for the category is equal to or greater than the level of the message. For example, a trace level of Warning logs messages that have a level of Warning and of Error. A trace level of Info logs messages that have a level of Info, of Warning, and of Error. A trace level of Verbose logs all messages. You should use a trace level of Verbose only for short durations.
Sample category and trace level combinations
- *:Verbose
Note The *:Verbose combination logs all messages in all categories. You should only use the *:Verbose combination for short durations.
- Application.*:Error
Note The Application.*:Error combination logs all messages that have a level of Error for the Application.* category.
- Platform.*:Warning
Note The Platform.*:Warning combination logs all messages that have a level of Warning or Error for the Platform.* category.
Default data values for optional registry values
- TraceCategories: *:Error
- TraceCallStack: 0
- TraceFileSizeLimit: 5
Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router service tracing
How to enable tracing for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router