HOW TO: Enable Debug Logging in the Microsoft Directory Synchronization Services Tool

This article describes how to enable debug logging in the Microsoft Directory Synchronization Services (MSDSS) tool.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

When you troubleshoot synchronization issues in the MSDSS tool, you can enable debug logging to capture detailed information about the synchronization process.

Enabling Detailed MSDSS Logging

1. Run Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Locate the following key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msdss\
3. Click the Parameter key.
4. On the Edit menu, click Add Value.
5. For the value name, type: DebugLogLevel.
6. For the data type, click REG_DWORD, and then click OK.
7. For the data value, type: 1, and then click OK. A value of 1 activates logging, and a value of 0 (zero) turns logging off.
8. Restart the computer.

The logging information is placed in the %Systemroot%\System32\Directory Synchronization\Session Logs folder. The log files are labeled as "Session#-#.log".