Notes ===== Can use the Event Viewer to view the logs. Applications and Services Logs Microsoft Windows Diagnostics-Performance Operational Main logs are in C:\Windows\System32\config. Applications and Services logs are in C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs. You need administrator privileges to access the Applications and Services logs, but not the main logs. This program needs to be run as administrator to do that. This program makes CSV files with the data. Open them in a spreadsheet (e.g. Open Office), select the data, then insert a chart. Information on Windows booting ============================== Soluto http://www.soluto.com/ http://www.smashingapps.com/2010/07/24/now-effectively-improve-windows-boot-time-with-soluto.html http://www.pcworld.com/article/197095/soluto_utility_shrinks_pc_boot_times_fixes_problems.html Has negative comments, including ununstalling http://download.cnet.com/Soluto/3000-18512_4-75446583.html How to uninstall .http://community.soluto.com/soluto/topics/soluto_uninstall_cleanup_tool_for_failed_uninstall_attempts Event Viewer http://itexpertvoice.com/home/what%E2%80%99s-taking-so-long-how-to-fight-slow-startup-times-in-windows-7/ http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/microsofts-hidden-diagnostic-tool-unlocks-vista-startup-secrets/246 http://www.zdnet.com/photos/troubleshoot-slow-starts-with-vistas-event-viewer/64715?tag=rbxccnbzd1 Read Event Log with C# http://www.developer.com/net/net/article.php/1370771/Interacting-with-the-Windows-2000-Event-Viewer-Using-C.htm http://asp.dotnetheaven.com/howto/doc/LogInfo.aspx http://support.microsoft.com/kb/815314 http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.eventlog.aspx Information on programming logs =============================== API http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb671197.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.eventing.reader.eventlogquery.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.eventlog.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb671200%28v=vs.90%29.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb671199%28v=vs.90%29.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb671197%28v=vs.90%29.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.eventing.reader.eventrecord.toxml%28v=vs.90%29.aspx XPath http://www.w3schools.com/xpath/xpath_syntax.asp http://www.w3schools.com/xpath/ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308333 http://www.codeproject.com/KB/XML/usingXPathNavigator.aspx http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cpp/myXPath.aspx