Event Log Displays N/A for User?
Is there any way to display the actual user name for User in the Windows Server 2008 event logs? Specifically, I need to have the user name displayed in the Security event log for users that log on to the server. Currently, I can only see the user name by drilling down into the General or Details section of the Event log. The summary listing of events in the Event Log always shows the User as N/A.I have looked at custom views but I can not find any way to get the user name to display for User.
April 29th, 2009 8:18pm

hi there, AFAIK, there is also a tab for user in security event which will show you the user name and also the network service , local service account name .can you confirm in your server ?sainath Windows Driver Development
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April 29th, 2009 8:44pm

There is a General and Detail tab. I do not see a User tab. In the General TabAccount Namedisplays the user name that has logged onIn the Deatails tabSubjectUserName displays the user name that has logged onSo, yes, I can find the user name. But I need to display the user name in the User field so that the user name is listed in the Event Log summary list.Is this possible?Why the N/A instead of the actual user name?
April 29th, 2009 9:35pm

Anybody?Windows Server 2008Event LogI have added the User column to my event log view.Users logon and logoff the server.The User field only displays N/A.How can I get this field to display the user that logs on and off the server?
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May 1st, 2009 5:55pm

hi shuleb,do you have multiple servers on windows 2008 ? , if this is observed on multiple server, then it might be a bug with event viewer.i dont have the setup at present, as today is holiday world wide, i would check this behavior on monday .sainath Windows Driver Development
May 1st, 2009 5:58pm

We have a handfull of 2008 servers, all of which are doing the same thing - display N/A as the userin a logon event. We have hundreds of 2003 servers that display the actual user name.Any help is resolving this would be gratly appreciated.
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May 6th, 2009 5:56pm

hi there, i have tested this behavior on windows 2008 32 bit edition server, and i am able to see the user loggingg in . i have tried pushing a group policy on the server and that event got registerd in eventviewer with the user name getting displayed.i tested this on all 3 major events applicaiton , system and securitysainath Windows Driver Development
May 7th, 2009 10:05am

Thank you very much for testing the behavior. I just want to clarify that I can also see the user that has logged on - BUT - only in the details of the event. In the summary event listing, under the User column (which has to be enabled to view), all of our Windows 2008 servers, production and test, on and off the domain, display N/A instead of a user name.The reason this is important is because our compliance department uses the summary event listings to monitor server logons.
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May 11th, 2009 9:42pm

Can anybody think of a possible cause for this behavior? I am trying to audit event 4624 (Logon)on servers. N/A for User is useless.
May 15th, 2009 6:32pm

hi there, i compared the event viewer behavior between windows 2003 and widnows 2008 they seems to be alike , even in windows 2003 , you see N/A for Application , system and security event logs. i understand your concern, but microsoft has coded in such a way that they show the user name only for the events which are necessary. sainath Attending Microsoft Teched 2009
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May 20th, 2009 3:38pm

Can anybody think of a possible cause for this behavior? I am trying to audit event 4624 (Logon)on servers. N/A for User is useless. I share the feelings here. I have the same problem, the compliance is just having too much trouble because of N/A. I wonder if there are any positive responses to this new (or mis-understood) concept of 'User'. I am really looking forward for answers.
October 23rd, 2009 5:27am

I to have the same problem. In event viewer in server 2008 I have to add the column for user, but it shows only N/A In server 2003 the User column is default (dont have to add it) and the User is showed (Administrator, SYSTEM, LOCAL SERVICE) I am troubleshooting login problems on some users logging on (Windows Server 2008), so it had been helpful to see the user in the security log.
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November 18th, 2009 12:27pm

hi there, i compared the event viewer behavior between windows 2003 and widnows 2008 they seems to be alike , even in windows 2003 , you see N/A for Application , system and security event logs. i understand your concern, but microsoft has coded in such a way that they show the user name only for the events which are necessary. sainath Attending Microsoft Teched 2009 What is it mean "which are necessary"?And how should I search in USER column in this case.Sainath, can you confirm that MS's created this for some special reason and they are not going to change it?Thank you.
December 9th, 2009 5:20am

I also have this problem and fail to see that "but microsoft has coded in such a way that they show the user name only for the events which are necessary" can be perceived as an answer. N/A for logon/logoff events is useless. Its about the single most important bit of information we want from an audited event such as logging on.
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March 17th, 2010 5:43pm

I have the exact same question! Does anyone have a solution to show the user name rather than just N/A?? Thanks!
June 18th, 2010 1:44pm

I have the exact same question! Does anyone have a solution to show the user name rather than just N/A?? Thanks! Hello, please see the included and marked as answer reply from Sainath IRP_MJ_CREATE in this thread above.Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.
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June 18th, 2010 5:29pm

So how do I search the entire event log for a certain user?
September 16th, 2010 10:22pm

To be more clear. How can I apply a filter that looks at the general information of the event log so that I can find a particular account name and/or security ID?
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September 16th, 2010 10:34pm

Did someone found out how to filter the security logs on a 2008 domain controller for a specific user account?
February 18th, 2011 3:04pm

That is the most pitiful excuse of an answer I've ever heard. Microsoft does not administer MY domain controllers so, who are they to decide what information is or isn't useful??? They need to fix this.
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April 1st, 2011 12:45am

I am another that must monitor activity on a network.... N/A is not an answer... Well, OK, it is an answer. An incomplete one. I can understand N/A for hardware notices in Application or System. But N/A for Security isn't really helpful... As in "Gee, I have N/A logging in. I wonder which of the accounts that is out of hundreds this is"? The original statement was "Specifically, I need to have the user name displayed in the Security event log for users that log on to the server." Why would anyone consider logging in and out not important?
April 1st, 2011 12:57am

Hi together... is this already fixed? I'm really need to get this User information related to the security logs. This logging information is really important.
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April 18th, 2011 3:53pm

Checking to see if Microsoft reconsidered the "You don't need to know who logs in" stance in regards to the Security Logs.
May 27th, 2011 11:35pm

Any word from Microsoft fixing this?
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August 4th, 2011 5:23pm

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