GatherNetworkInfo
GatherNetworkInfo is a helper component of Windows network diagnostics.
since 0.9.8.11
Purpose
Identifier: \Microsoft\Windows\NetTrace\GatherNetworkInfo
Setup Foundry disables this scheduled task; the task remains registered in Task Scheduler.
GatherNetworkInfo is a helper component of Windows network diagnostics. The task launches the Windows script gatherNetworkInfo.vbs, which collects local network and system configuration details for diagnostic output. This output can include information about network adapters, the Windows build and operating system, and wireless settings.
The standard task has no time-based or event-based trigger of its own. It is designed to be invoked with runtime parameters by a diagnostic or data collector process. One use is in connection with network tracing, for which Windows prepares ETL and CAB files for troubleshooting and analysis.
Notes
Additional effects
The task supplies supplementary configuration data to network diagnostics. It does not control network adapters or TCP/IP connections and is not required for ordinary Ethernet, Wi-Fi, VPN, or Internet connectivity.
Trace-event and packet collection are separate from this task. Whether packets are captured depends on the options of the particular network trace session.
Privacy and security
The task writes the collected network and system information to the output directory provided by the calling diagnostic process. Diagnostic output can contain technical identifiers and personal data, such as adapter and connection properties or events from a separately enabled packet capture.
The task itself is not a mechanism for transmitting the files to Microsoft. Disabling it prevents this task entry from launching the local information collection. It does not delete existing diagnostic or trace files, and it does not prevent other diagnostic tools or tracing facilities from collecting similar data.
Effects of the change
Because the standard task has no trigger of its own, disabling it normally produces no visible change during everyday Windows use. Network connections, name resolution, file sharing, and the list of available networks continue to operate independently of this task.
If a diagnostic or data collector process requests the disabled task, Task Scheduler does not start gatherNetworkInfo.vbs. The resulting diagnostic package can therefore lack the local network and system configuration details normally contributed by the script. The calling process may also record an error for the completion task that did not run. Disabling GatherNetworkInfo does not inherently stop the underlying ETL trace or a separately enabled packet capture, although the accompanying diagnostic report can be less complete.
The task is disabled, not deleted. This change also does not prevent another program from invoking the script directly.
Notes
Microsoft does not publish a separate reference page specifically for \Microsoft\Windows\NetTrace\GatherNetworkInfo. The associated network-tracing functionality is documented for Windows 10, Windows 11, and supported Windows Server releases; details of the diagnostic output can vary between Windows versions.
Microsoft documentation
Microsoft Learn: Using Netsh to manage traces