Looking for Automation of Maintenance tasks, I've had to write a script that'll run as a scheduled task to Purge Log Files, but only logs older than a specified number of days.

Googling to find if that kind of script already exists I've found a nice blog with some example I've used to start.

I've worked on this script to adapt it to my needs and came with two new scripts.

These new scripts have been designed to run as Scheduled Tasks so they're logging everything within the Application EventLog.

You can set the file extension so they're easily adaptable to purge other kind of files (like backups for example).

The first one has been designed to clean the "C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles" Root. It'll parse the 1-Level Subfolders and delete every log file that meets the specified criteria.

That's very useful for a IIS Server hosting a Default Web Interface installation (or another Website) because It'll clean every IIS Site Logs (if stored in the default location) but also the "HTTPERR" Logs.

As this kind of script could be dangerous, the Delete Action has been commented and you'll have to uncomment it when you have tested the script is working correctly in your environment (because basically It'll log but not delete).

Purge Logs Files within 1-Level Subfolders (Case "C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles")

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next
Dim intDaysOld, strObjTopFolderPath, strLogFIleSuffix, ObjFS, ObjTopFolder, objShell, tmpObjFileName
Dim ObjLogFolder, ObjW3SvcFolder, ObjSubFolder, ObjLogFile, ObjFile
intDaysOld = 5        'Number of days to retain on the server
strObjTopFolderPath    = "C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles"        'The location of your log files Subfolders
strLogFileSuffix    = ".log"    'The suffix of your log files

Set ObjFS = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set ObjTopFolder = ObjFS.GetFolder(strObjTopFolderPath)
Set objShell = Wscript.CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")


PurgeLogs()

Sub PurgeLogs()
    WriteLog 0,"Purge Logs Script Starting with Root Folder: " & ObjTopFolder.Path
        For Each ObjLogFolder in ObjTopFolder.SubFolders
            WriteLog 0,"Purge Logs Script Parsing SubFolder: " & ObjLogFolder.name
            Set ObjSubFolder = ObjFS.GetFolder(ObjLogFolder)
                For each ObjLogFile in ObjSubFolder.files
                    On Error Resume Next
                    Err.Clear
                    Set ObjFile = ObjFS.GetFile(ObjLogFile)
                        If datediff("d",ObjFile.DateLastModified,Date()) > intDaysOld and lcase(right(ObjLogFile,len(strLogFileSuffix)))=strLogFileSuffix then
                            tmpObjFileName = ObjFile.Name
                            '*****************************************************
                            'DON'T UNCOMMENT THIS UNTIL YOU KNOW IT WORKS PROPERLY!!!
                            'ObjFile.Delete
                            '*****************************************************
                            If Not Err then
                                WriteLog 8,"Purge Logs Script has Deleted SucessFully " & ObjSubFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                            Else
                                WriteLog 16,"Purge Logs Script Error While Deleting " & ObjSubFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                            End If
                        End If   
                    Set ObjFile = nothing
                Next
            Set ObjSubFolder = nothing
        Next
    Set ObjTopFolder = nothing
    Set ObjFS = nothing
End Sub

Sub WriteLog(evType,msg)
    on error resume next
    Err.Clear
    objShell.LogEvent evType, msg
End Sub

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Purge Logs Files within a specified Folder (Case "C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles\W3SVC1")

This other script has been designed to delete Log Files only within a specified folder, but you can also use it to purge, for example, daily backups after one week or one month.

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next
Dim intDaysOld, strObjTopFolderPath, strLogFIleSuffix, ObjFS, ObjTopFolder, objShell, tmpObjFileName
Dim ObjLogFolder, ObjW3SvcFolder, ObjSubFolder, ObjLogFile, ObjFile
intDaysOld = 5        'Number of days to retain on the server
strObjTopFolderPath    = "C:\WINDOWS\system32\LogFiles"        'The location of your log files
strLogFileSuffix    = ".log"    'The suffix of your log files

Set ObjFS = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set ObjTopFolder = ObjFS.GetFolder(strObjTopFolderPath)
Set objShell = Wscript.CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

PurgeLogs()

Sub PurgeLogs()
    WriteLog 0,"Purge Logs Script Starting with Root Folder: " & ObjTopFolder.Path
        For each ObjLogFile in ObjTopFolder.files
            On Error Resume Next
            Err.Clear
            Set ObjFile = ObjFS.GetFile(ObjLogFile)
                     If datediff("d",ObjFile.DateLastModified,Date()) > intDaysOld and lcase(right(ObjLogFile,len(strLogFileSuffix)))=strLogFileSuffix then
                    tmpObjFileName = ObjFile.Name
                    '*****************************************************
                    'DON'T UNCOMMENT THIS UNTIL YOU KNOW IT WORKS PROPERLY!!!
                    'ObjFile.Delete
                    '*****************************************************
                        If Not Err then
                            WriteLog 8,"Purge Logs Script has Deleted SucessFully " & ObjTopFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                        Else
                            WriteLog 16,"Purge Logs Script Error While Deleting " & ObjTopFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                        End If
                End If    
            Set ObjFile = nothing
        Next
    Set ObjFS = nothing
End Sub

Sub WriteLog(evType,msg)
    on error resume next
    Err.Clear
    objShell.LogEvent evType, msg
End Sub

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Purge Exports and Logs Files within specified Folders (Case Daily Exports)

This other script has been designed to delete Exports (backups) AND Log Files only within specified folders.

 Initially it has been written to clear XenApp App Export Manager / XenApp Policies Export Manager Export Files and associated logs, but it can be easily adaptated to handle for example SQL dumps or any kind or backups / exports.

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next
Dim intDaysOld, strObjTopLogsFolderPath, strObjTopExportsFolderPath, strLogFIleSuffix, strExpFileSuffix, ObjFS, objShell, tmpObjFileName
Dim ObjLogFolder, ObjW3SvcFolder, ObjTopLogsFolder, ObjTopExportsFolder, ObjLogFile, ObjExpFile, ObjFile
intDaysOld = 30        'Number of days to retain on the server
strObjTopExportsFolderPath = "\\MyServer\Exports"        'The location of your Exports files
strObjTopLogsFolderPath    = "\\MyServer\Exports\Logs"        'The location of your log files
strExpFileSuffix    = ".ctxtools"    'The suffix of your export files
strLogFileSuffix    = ".log"    'The suffix of your log files
Set ObjFS = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set ObjTopLogsFolder = ObjFS.GetFolder(strObjTopLogsFolderPath)
Set ObjTopExportsFolder = ObjFS.GetFolder(strObjTopExportsFolderPath)
Set objShell = Wscript.CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")


PurgeExports()

PurgeLogs()

Sub PurgeExports()
    WriteLog 0,"Purge Exports Files Task Starting with Root Folder: " & ObjTopExportsFolder.Path
        For each ObjExpFile in ObjTopExportsFolder.files
            On Error Resume Next
            Err.Clear
            Set ObjFile = ObjFS.GetFile(ObjExpFile)
                If datediff("d",ObjFile.DateLastModified,Date()) > intDaysOld and lcase(right(ObjExpFile,len(strExpFileSuffix)))=strExpFileSuffix then
                    tmpObjFileName = ObjFile.Name
                    '*****************************************************
                    'DON'T UNCOMMENT THIS UNTIL YOU KNOW IT WORKS PROPERLY!!!
                    'ObjFile.Delete
                    '*****************************************************
                        If Not Err then
                            WriteLog 8,"Purge Exports Files Task has Deleted SucessFully " & ObjTopExportsFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                        Else
                            WriteLog 16,"Purge Exports Files Task Error While Deleting " & ObjTopExportsFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                        End If
                End If   
            Set ObjFile = nothing
        Next
End Sub

Sub PurgeLogs()
    WriteLog 0,"Purge Export Logs Files Task Starting with Root Folder: " & ObjTopLogsFolder.Path
        For each ObjLogFile in ObjTopLogsFolder.files
            On Error Resume Next
            Err.Clear
            Set ObjFile = ObjFS.GetFile(ObjLogFile)
                If datediff("d",ObjFile.DateLastModified,Date()) > intDaysOld and lcase(right(ObjLogFile,len(strLogFileSuffix)))=strLogFileSuffix then
                    tmpObjFileName = ObjFile.Name
                    '*****************************************************
                    'DON'T UNCOMMENT THIS UNTIL YOU KNOW IT WORKS PROPERLY!!!
                    'ObjFile.Delete
                    '*****************************************************
                        If Not Err then
                            WriteLog 8,"Purge Export Logs Files Task has Deleted SucessFully " & ObjTopLogsFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                        Else
                            WriteLog 16,"Purge Export Logs Files Task Error While Deleting " & ObjTopLogsFolder.name & "\" & tmpObjFileName
                        End If
                End If   
            Set ObjFile = nothing
        Next
End Sub

Sub WriteLog(evType,msg)
    on error resume next
    Err.Clear
    objShell.LogEvent evType, msg
End Sub

'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------