Session Windowsupdatetracelog Failed To Start With The Following Error 0xc0000035 [exclusive] Online

The neon hum of the server room was the only heartbeat in the building. Elias sat hunched over Terminal 4, his eyes reflecting a cascade of scrolling text. He was hunting a ghost in the machine, a silent killer of productivity that had paralyzed the regional grid. Then, it appeared in cold, unfeeling white text:

session windowsupdatetracelog failed to start with the following error 0xc0000035

"Object Name Already Exists," Elias whispered, the translation of the hex code bitter on his tongue.

It wasn't a simple crash. The system was trying to birth a process into a space already occupied by a phantom. Two realities were fighting for the same memory address. Every time the update service tried to log its progress, it slammed into a mirror image of itself—a digital doppelgänger that shouldn't have been there.

He realized then that the "error" wasn't a bug; it was a footprint. Someone—or something—had hijacked the trace session to mask their movement, leaving a lingering shadow that blocked the system’s own diagnostic eyes.

As he reached for the kill command, the screen flickered. The error message didn't disappear. It multiplied, filling the monitor until the hex code was all he could see. The ghost wasn't just in the machine; it was in control. for this specific error or continue the to see what Elias finds?

The error code 0xC0000035 translates to STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_COLLISION, which essentially means Windows tried to start a logging session (like WindowsUpdateTraceLog) that was already running or has a naming conflict with an existing object. The neon hum of the server room was

In most cases, this error is harmless and can be ignored if your Windows Updates are otherwise installing correctly. However, if you want to resolve it or are facing update issues, follow these steps: 1. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter This is the fastest way to reset minor update glitches. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot.

Select Other troubleshooters and click Run next to Windows Update. 2. Repair System Files (SFC & DISM)

Corrupted system files can trigger collision errors during startup. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.

Run the following commands one by one, allowing each to finish: sfc /scannow DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth 3. Clear the Windows Update Cache

If the logger is stuck because of old data, clearing the cache can force a fresh start.

Open an elevated Command Prompt and stop the services:net stop wuauservnet stop bits Stop the Windows Update service: net stop wuauserv

Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and delete all files inside.

Restart the services in the Command Prompt:net start wuauservnet start bits 4. Registry Fix (For Advanced Users)

If the error persists in your Event Viewer every reboot, you can disable the specific Autologger that is failing.

Open Regedit and navigate to:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\WMI\Autologger\EventLog-System

Locate the subkey mentioned in your error (or look for Enabled keys in this folder). Change the value of Enabled from 1 to 0. Restart your computer.

Note: Only use the registry fix if you specifically want to stop the error from appearing in your logs and are confident your system is otherwise healthy. Also stop the Event Log service (temporarily): net

Are you experiencing any specific issues with updates failing to install, or are you just seeing this error in your Event Viewer?

Technical Analysis and Resolution of Session "WindowsUpdateTraceLog" Startup Error 0xc0000035

Document ID: WIN-ERR-0xC0000035-WUTL
Severity: Medium (Logging/Audit Degradation)
Affected Component: Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) / Windows Update Client

5.3. Advanced: NtQuerySystemInformation Method

For persistent cases, use a tool like LiveKd or Sysinternals WinObj to inspect the \KernelObjects\ namespace for a stale WindowsUpdateTraceLog event handle. No public tool directly deletes these; a reboot is the cleanest solution.

How to Fix "Session WindowsUpdateTraceLog Failed to Start with Error 0xc0000035"

Method 2: Delete Corrupt Windows Update Log Files

The trace log session writes to C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsUpdate. Corruption in this folder or its parent can prevent session creation.

1. Stop the Windows Update service:

   net stop wuauserv
   

2. Also stop the Event Log service (temporarily):

   net stop EventLog
   

3. Navigate to C:\Windows\Logs\WindowsUpdate.
4. Delete all contents of this folder (you may need to take ownership first). If files are in use, reboot into Safe Mode and delete them there.
5. Restart the services:

   net start EventLog
   net start wuauserv
   

Note: New log files will be regenerated automatically when Windows Update runs.

Preventing Future Occurrences

Once you have resolved the error, take these preventative measures:

• Avoid hard shutdowns while Windows Update is running. Always use Start > Shutdown or wait for updates to complete.
• Run Disk Cleanup monthly to purge old Windows Update logs and ETW traces.
• Monitor Event Viewer weekly for Event ID 100 or 104 related to WindowsUpdateTraceLog.
• Keep Windows updated — ironically, Microsoft occasionally patches ETW session management bugs.