Fix Event Viewer Errors: Cannot Open Event Log - System Logs

Troubleshooting Corrupted Event Logs in Windows

When diagnosing issues within a Windows operating system, experienced users often begin by examining the Event Viewer’s Application or System logs. These logs frequently contain valuable details regarding the nature of the problem. However, a situation can arise where the event log itself becomes corrupted.

I recently encountered this precise scenario. The error message "Event Viewer cannot open the event log or custom view. Verify that Event Log service is running. The data is invalid (13)" was displayed, but only when attempting to access the System log. The Application log functioned normally, and neither restarting the Event Log service nor rebooting the system resolved the issue.

Clearing the System Log to Resolve Corruption

A potential solution to this problem is to clear the system log while simultaneously saving its contents to a file. This process often effectively resets the log, allowing for the viewing of subsequent events.

Here’s an illustration of the error message that was presented:

To initiate the clearing process, right-click on the affected log and select "Clear Log" from the context menu.

When prompted, choose "Save and Clear" to preserve the log data for potential future analysis.

Assign a descriptive filename to the log file and click "Save" to proceed.

While Event Viewer may not be able to directly open the saved log file, it can be examined using a text editor to potentially extract relevant information.

After clearing the log, access to the System log events should be restored.

Additional Considerations

In my specific case, the root cause of the issue was traced to an insufficient power supply. A machine with nine USB devices connected experienced instability. Utilizing a Powered USB hub to distribute power resolved the problem. Subsequently, the power supply unit was upgraded to a more robust model.