Useless error message "error creating log file"

Every few minutes my Windows 11 PC creates an error message like this:

"Error creating log file. The Process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process".

This gets my award for the most useless error message ever created in the history of computing.
- what is the process that created this message?
- which and where is the log file that it is trying to access?
- what is the process that is using the file?

If I knew these things, I might be able to make some attempt to overcome the problem, what ever it is. Or at least to report it to someone who could maybe find the cause. Without them, I have no idea what to look for as the root of the problem. How did the person who created this message think it was going to help the user?

Another problem: The window that contains this error message stays on the screen, so that after using my PC for a while, there are tens or hundreds of these windows open. The only way of closing them that I have been able to find is to save all my working files, close all my applications, and restart the computer. Even this is a lot faster than closing 100s of windows one at a time. Is there not a way of selecting all of these windows (maybe using some shift/click type method) and closing them all at once?

Thank you - Rowan

First try to determine if an application or windows is creating the message. Perform a clean boot. If it doesn't happen in a clean boot, it is not the OS, but software.. Brink's procedure will help you weed out which one. Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 11 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts Tutorial

If it proves to be windows make sure you have no corrupt system files that is causing this problem. Open a command prompt as administrator and type dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth Restart the computer. See if problem resolved

If not, go back into cmd prompt as admin and type sfc /scannow
Pay attention to the scan results to see if SFC found anything it could not repair

If there is still a problem do a repair install. Repair install Windows 11 with an inplace upgrade Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

Since garlin hates it when I mention Process Monitor, I'll suggest Process Explorer this time.


You can grab the little crosshair button on the toolbar, and drag it onto one of the windows, and Process Explorer will tell you which process is responsible for making that window.

View attachment 136411

If applicable, do you have iDrive?

If so, try to update it.


Source of information: [Link to a Microsoft page]