According to Prajwal Desai (www.prajwaldesai.com) the smsts.log file changes its location depending on the point in the process of the operating system's installation.
First, open cmtrace.exe to enable log file viewing during the Windows PE phase, open a command prompt.window by pressing the F8 key during the OSD (cmtrace.exe is included in Windows PE).
Navigate to X:\sms\bin\x64 file location and launch cmtrace.exe
Example commands:
Step 1 - type & press enter: cd X:\sms\bin\x64
Step 2 - type & press enter: cmtrace.exe
Next, in cmtrace.exe tool window, choose File --> Open.
Then navigate to the appropriate location based on where your operating system deployment is at in the install process and open the smsts.log file - below are some locations to look:
These two file locations are for the smsts.log file while during OSD
Before the hard drive is formatted and partitioned, look here:
- X:\Windows\Temp\SMSTSLog\smsts.log
After hard drive formatting, look here:
- X:\SMSTSLOG\smsts.log
Or if copied to C:\
- C:\_SMSTaskSequence\Logs\SMSTSLog\smsts.log
After OSD and OS is installed, you will want to look in these locations:
Before SCCM agent is installed, look here:
- C:\_SMSTaskSequence\Logs\SMSTSLog\smsts.log
If the Windows OS that was installed is 32-bit, after SCCM agent is installed, look here:
- C:\Windows\System32\CCM\Logs\SMSTSLog\smsts.log
If the Windows OS that was installed is 32-bit, after SCCM agent is installed, look here:
- C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ccm\Logs\SMTSLog\smsts.log
Look in these locations after the task sequence has finished running:
If Windows OS is 32-bit:
- C:\Windows\System32\ccm\Logs\smsts.log
If Windows OS is 64-bit:
- C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ccm\Logs\smsts.log
Note - your file/folder locations may vary slightly, this is just a general guide of possible locations where the log is frequently found.
SOURCES:
Location of SMSTS Log During SCCM OSD
Trace32/CMTrace.exe Hidden Features
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/configmgrdogs/2012/06/06/trace32-execmtrace-exe-hidden-features/
Location of CMTrace.exe during installation of Configuration Manager 2012
How to Open CMTrace During OSD:
How to Open CMTrace in WinPE Like a Boss
Add "CMTrace" During OSD
Copy CMTrace.exe into the Full Windows OS in a task sequence