SharePoint 4.0: Where to Locate Details for Errors with Correlation ID

The Correlation ID error seemed to be especially common in Beta versions of SharePoint Server 2010. However, I have managed to surface this one a few times in RTM. The screen print below illustrates what the error looks like on the Web page.

The error doesn't provide much information about the root cause. So, to uncover the details, it makes sense to investigate further by examining the log files. Here is how to do that:

1. Note the date and time of the error message.
2. Open a local console or RDP session to a SharePoint server in the farm.
3. From Windows Explorer, navigate to Program Files > Common Files > Microsoft Shared > Web Server Extensions > 14 > Logs.
4. Sort the log files by Date Modified, Descending. Then, open the file containing the event using a text editor, such as Notepad.
5. CTRL +F to locate instances of the word "Error." Then match the date/time stamp.

It isn't likely that this information will provide a direct answer, but at least you have more words to work with while researching.