Fix for Performance Counter Updating Error (Event 106) on Exchange Servers

You may see multiple warnings or errors in the Application event log on Exchange servers for event 106, indicating that performance counters could not be updated.

Multiple Event ID 106 - Perf Counter Events

An example event 106 reads,

Log Name:      Application
Source:        MSExchange Common
Date:          11/29/2016 12:24:28 PM
Event ID:      106
Task Category: General
Level:         Warning
Keywords:      Classic
User:          N/A
Computer:      EX16B.contoso.com
Description:
Performance counter updating error. Counter name is Percentage of Failed Offline GLS Requests in Last Minute, category name is MSExchange Global Locator OfflineGLS Processes. Optional code: 3. Exception: System.InvalidOperationException: The requested Performance Counter is not a custom counter, it has to be initialized as ReadOnly.
   at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter.InitializeImpl()
   at System.Diagnostics.PerformanceCounter.get_RawValue()
   at Microsoft.Exchange.Diagnostics.ExPerformanceCounter.set_RawValue(Int64 value)

The TechNet article, "'Performance counter updating error' after you install an Exchange Server 2013 cumulative update", indicates this is a problem on Exchange 2013 after applying a CU, but I've seen this happen after applying an update rollup, cumulative update, or .NET Framework update on Exchange 2010, Exchange 2013, or Exchange 2016 servers.

I wrote the following PowerShell script to reload the Exchange performance counters. You run it directly on the affected Exchange server from an elevated PowerShell or EMS prompt. The script will reload all the performance counters in the %ExchangeInstallPath%\setup\perf directory.

Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.Exchange.Management.PowerShell.Setup
$perfcounters = Get-ChildItem "$env:ExchangeInstallPath\Setup\Perf\" *.xml | Where-Object {!($_.psiscontainer)}
$perfcount = $perfcounters.Count

foreach ($perfcounter in $perfcounters) {
New-PerfCounters -DefinitionFileName $perfcounter.FullName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Write-Progress -Activity "Reloading $perfcount Exchange Performance Counters" -PercentComplete (($i++ / $perfcount) * 100)}

The script may take a few minutes to run and will reload all the Exchange performance counters. Once complete, the event 106 warnings or errors should stop.