Windows 10 Comes With Windows Performance Recorder (WPR.exe) Built In

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Windows Performance Recorder, aka the WPR.exe, is the useful tool used to troubleshoot performance related issues on your computer. Previously, it’s only included in the Windows Performance Toolkit in Windows SDK packages. But starting with Windows 10, the console version (command line version) of Windows Performance Recorder is built right in Windows. And it’s located in %SystemRoot%\System32 folder, i.e. c:\windows\system32.

The basic syntax of WPR.exe is something like this:

wpr {-profiles [<path> [ …]] | -start<arguments> | -stop<arguments> | -cancel | -status<arguments> | -log<argument> | -purgecache | -help<arguments> | -profiledetails | -disablepagingexecutive}

The profiles contain the common profiles for various performance issue scenarios you may run into. Running the following command lists the full list of profiles that are available for you.

wpr -profiles

WPR Profiles Command Prompt 600x419 - Windows 10 Comes With Windows Performance Recorder (WPR.exe) Built In

Here are 3 common scenarios that you may encounter and that you could use the Windows Performance Recorder to troubleshoot. Note that run these commands in an elevated Command Prompt window.

Scenario 1: High CPU Usage

wpr -start CPU
<reproduce the issue>
wpr -stop c:\logfiles\highcpu.etl

Scenario 2: High Storage Utilization

wpr -start CPU -start DiskIO -start FileIO
<reproduce the issue>
wpr -stop c:\logfiles\cpudiskiofileio.etl

Scenario 3: Intermittent hang for 1-60 seconds

wpr -start CPU -start DiskIO -start FileIO -start Network
<reproduce the issue>
wpr -stop c:\logfiles\hangissue.etl

All three scenarios have the log data exported to a .etl file that can be opened and viewed by Windows Event Viewer or TraceLog which is included in the SDK package.

If command-line is not your type of thing, the Windows Performance Recorder also has a GUI version that is part of the Windows 10 SDK. It’s called WPRUI.exe located in the following location.

 C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\Windows Performance Toolkit

Windows Performance Recorder 600x471 - Windows 10 Comes With Windows Performance Recorder (WPR.exe) Built In

It includes pretty much all options in the command-line version. And it’s indeed much easier to use.

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