---
title: "VPS - Enable Windows boot logs"
description: "Find out how to enable Windows boot logs to help with diagnosing and troubleshooting your VPS boot issues"
url: https://docs.ovhcloud.com/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/virtual-private-servers/windows-boot-logs
lang: en
lastUpdated: 2026-01-21
---
# VPS - Enable Windows boot logs

## Objective

Windows boot logs allow you to identify the drivers and services loaded during system startup.\
They are particularly useful for **diagnosing boot issues**, **blue screens**, or **system freezes**.

**This guide explains how to enable Windows boot logs on a server to help diagnose and troubleshoot VPS issues.**

## Requirements

- An active [VPS](https://www.ovhcloud.com/en-gb/vps/) offer in your OVHcloud Control Panel.

## Instructions

### Enabling Windows boot logs

To enable boot logs, follow the steps below:


**1. **Connect to the server****

Connect to your server via a remote desktop or a [KVM session](/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/virtual-private-servers/using-kvm-for-vps.md).


**2. **Open the Run utility****

Open the Windows `Start` menu and click <code className="action">Run</code>.
![KVM](/images/assets/screens/other/windows/windows-start-run.png)

**3. **Open `msconfig`****

Type `msconfig` and click <code className="action">OK</code>.
![KVM](/images/assets/screens/other/windows/windows-msconfig.png)

**4. **Enable logs****

In the new window, enable the log option next to `Boot log`. Then click <code className="action">OK</code>.
![KVM](/images/assets/screens/other/windows/windows-log.png)

At the next server startup, the logs will be saved in a `.txt` file. The file path is: `C:\Windows\ntbtlog.txt`.

To access the log file in rescue mode, follow the instructions in the guide "[Enable and use rescue mode on a VPS](/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/virtual-private-servers/rescue.md)".

## Go further

[Change the administrator password on a Windows server](/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/virtual-private-servers/resetting-a-windows-password.md)

[VPS FAQ](/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/virtual-private-servers/vps-faq.md)

[SSH introduction](/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/dedicated-servers/ssh-introduction.md)

[Secure a VPS](/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/virtual-private-servers/secure-your-vps.md)

[How to recover access to the server if you lose the user password](/en/guides/bare-metal-cloud/dedicated-servers/replacing-user-password.md)

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