how to get rid of trace.log

I found this huge file trace.log and did a search here on the bbs. I found Rerato's thread "hard drive filling up" from Sept. 2006 and learned there that bootvis.exe creates trace.log. I don't really need bootvis, so I deleted it and then I was able to delete trace.log, which was beginning to take over all of my c: drive.

But now it's back! And I can't delete it now, bcs it tells me it is being used by a program which I need to close first. But I don't know what program, since I haven't got bootvis any more.

Luckily I found an old emergency boot disk from Win95 and was able to boot that to DOS prompt and kill trace.log manually. But it's a hassle having to boot from floppy and delete it, then return to XP and find it's back again, and already 1.8Gb (I only killed it an hour ago!!).

Can anyone tell me how to find out which program or programs create trace.log so that I can try closing them one at a time until I find the culprit, and then decide if it's a program I can live without?

 

Try rebooting into safe mode, and then deleting it while in safe mode.



http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...2001052409420406?OpenDocument&src=sec_doc_nam

or Start/run/msconfig/Boot.ini tab/check /safeboot - reboot. Afterwards uncheck it and reboot.



http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm
and/or
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/bootsafe.html

 

Many thanks to both for swift answers.

1. The Microsoft KB article says there is a hotfix you can request from customer service. But customer service charges over 60 euros to help you fix a problem *they* created, which I find outrageous - I'd rather find some way to tweak my machine without having to pay for it. And if the solution is posted here, it will help a lot of other users, too. Apart from which, they requested a "product code" - well, I've got the CD key, but their software didn't accept that, and I don't see any other "product code" anywhere in the stuff which came with the CD-ROM.

2. Yes, thanks, I did try booting in safe mode (sorry, I should have mentioned!), but even there it told me I can't delete trace.log but have to close the program that's creating it first, so it's obviously some service or integral part of the OS which is creating the log. So for the moment I'll have to live with booting Win95 from a floppy and killing the logfile once a week or so, unless I want to let it eat up my whole C: drive.

Any other suggestions gratefully received...

 

Help - this is ridiculous!!

Now I find that, even after booting to DOS and manually deleting trace.log, when I then log on normally to XP I find trace.log is not only back, but is already 64.8Mb right after boot! (This could also be at least a part explanation of the problem in my post Long, unexplained pause during boot of a few weeks back - it has to take a while to write 65 mega...)

I've followed up on all the KB links you kindly provided, but I'm probably not expert enough to get any help from them.

Meanwhile my HD is being taken over by the Thing from Outer Space (it's already at 216Mb since I started writing this). Can someone have surreptitiously installed a keylogger my Avast! doesn't find?

 

Yes, Steve - I saw that, but ther's another stupid little problem...

 

Solved!!

For the record (and for any other user who comes across this thread when searching on "trace.log" or similar):

I googled "trace.log" and came up with a whole crowd of people having this same problem. Many of them solved it by turning off the logging in bootvis (which I had already tried). But one thread (sorry, can't find it now) mentioned de-activating "GlobalLogging" in the Registry. Taking my courage in both hands and a deep breath, I searched Registry for Globallogging, found it, and reset "Start" from 1 to 0. (I hate playing in the Registry - scary!)

Bingo! Just as well, bcs my trace.log had grown by then to about 30% of my rinkydink little HD.

Which leaves the question unanswered: how did it get turned on in the first place...?

Thanks anyway for your advice above - I learned a lot of serendipty spinoff stuff (as usual) just following up your tips...