LNVR performance counters missing from Performance Monitor in 64-bit versions of Windows

Symptom

One popular of troubleshooting LNVR issues is to look at the LNVR performance counters using Windows Performance Monitor. By default, these counters are missing from Performance Monitor when LNVR is installed on a computer running a 64-bit version of Windows.

OnGuard still receives performance data from the LNVR without issue, so the counters are actually installed and working properly, but they do not appear in Windows Performance Monitor.

Resolution

This issue occurs because Windows requires a service named Performance Counter DLL Host (process name perfhost.exe) for 64-bit applications to access 32-bit performance counters, such as the counters created by LNVR. By default, the startup type for this service is Manual, so this service is typically not running. Also, by default, 64-bit versions of the Performance Monitor application and the Performance Logs and Alerts service are used.

The following workarounds are available for this issue:

  • Manually start the Performance Counter DLL Host service while using Performance Monitor, or while collecting and logging performance data using Performance Monitor/Data Collector Sets. The Performance Monitor process must be restarted for the change to take effect. Also, if a previously-configured data collector set is running (but producing no data), it must be restarted as well.
  • Change the startup type for the Performance Counter DLL Host service to Automatic to ensure that it will run automatically after a system reboot. While this is the most convenient approach, there might be a reason why the startup type for this service is Manual by default, due to resource usage, and so on. Lenel recommends this change is done only when needed, and that the system is monitored for some time to ensure no adverse effects.
  • Use the 32-bit version of the Performance Monitor. This version is at the following location:
    %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64\perfmon.exe

This version will show the counters even if the Performance Counter DLL Host service is not running. This workaround does not correct the issue with Data Collector Sets, however, and can only be used for live monitoring.

Applies To

LNVR (All versions)
Microsoft Windows (All 64-bit versions)

Additional Information

None