SCCM OneTrace Log Reader to Replace CMTrace
Have you heard about SCCM OneTrace? This tool is the new log viewing utility, which is introduced by Microsoft recently with the SCCM 1906 production version. Microsoft is putting a lot of efforts to develop this OneTrace tool as a replacement for CMTrace.
Related Video Guide – SCCM 1906 Upgrade Walkthrough Video Guide
Introduction
In the above video, you can see the details about one trace how to install. Following are the general questions I get about this tool called OneTrace.
If you ask me, can we replace CMTrace with OneTrace? I think the answer is not yet. Maybe in future versions of OneTrace could be able to replace CMTrace.
More details about installation of SCCM OneTrace is available in the previous post.
- Is it done independent tool which can run standalone? NO
- Should we get the OneTrace tool through an MSI application? Yes
- Can we copy the OneTrace EXE and then that on a remote Windows machine? NO
- Can OneTrace replace CMTrace (today) – NO
Download SCCM OneTrace
You can install OneTrace tool from Support Center MSI, which is available in your site system (primary or CAS). Run the following MSI, and you will get the SCCM OneTrace Log Reader tool.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\tools\SupportCenter/supportcenterinstaller.msi
Feature Highlights
CM trace is not a modular or modern UI kind of an application. But what I experience from OneTrace is that it is very modular. Also, it has a more than kind of a UI, and it’s very flexible you can move things around.
You can customize as you want there are a lot of customization options like you can have 7-8 log files in small windows within OneTrace application. There are these many other useful things which I explained in my previous post.
Another exciting feature of this OneTrace tool is that it can read SCCM State messages or SCCM status messages. SCCM status messages, so that is a pretty nice addition to SCCM Admins toolset.
You can also View Windows Update Messages (ETW) from SCCM OneTrace log reader tool.
Verdict
I love this tool SCCM OneTrace log reader. But, the fact is that it can’t replace CMTrace in all the scenarios. The CMTrace.exe can be copied to any remote machine and start using CMTrace.
I won’t recommend adding OneTrace to Boot image!
One main pain point for OneTrace is that it won’t work just by copying the CMPowerLogViewer.exe file to your remote Windows 10 device. And there is a .Net dependency to install Support Center tool.
OneTrace tool won’t work with WinPE environment as per the Microsoft document. I can understand because it can’t just work as a standalone tool.
Resource
Anoop C Nair is Workplace Technology solution architect with 25+ years (as of 2026) of experience in global enterprise organizations such as JP Morgan, Capgemini, etc. Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for consecutive 11+ years! He also conducts Intune and modern workplace tech training for enterprise organizations. He is Blogger, Speaker, and Founder of HTMD Community and HTMD Conference. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like Intune, Windows, Cloud PC. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security.
I’ve been trying to find different arguments for interacting with this program from the commandline. Specifically, if it’s already running I’d like to open a log in a new tab. Any ideas?