Fix PLA_E_DCS_NOT_FOUND (0X80300002) on Windows

You’re seeing this error because a Data Collector Set is missing or corrupted

I know this error is infuriating — especially when you’re trying to diagnose system performance or run a log. It’s happened to me more times than I’d like to admit. Let’s fix it fast.

The Quick Fix: Rebuild the Data Collector Set

Don’t waste time reinstalling Windows or running sfc /scannow (though that won’t hurt). The real fix is to delete and recreate the broken Data Collector Set. Here’s how:

Open Performance Monitor: Press Win + R, type perfmon.msc, and hit Enter.
In the left pane, expand Data Collector Sets.
Locate the set that’s throwing the error — it’s usually under User Defined or System. If you’re not sure, look for a set that has a yellow triangle or won’t start.
Right-click the problematic set and choose Delete. Yes, delete it. This won’t damage your system — it’s just a collection of performance counters.
Now recreate it: Right-click User Defined (or the appropriate parent folder), select New > Data Collector Set, and follow the wizard. Name it exactly as before if you need the original logs.
Once created, right-click your new set and choose Start.

That’s it. In most cases, the error vanishes immediately.

Why This Works

The PLA_E_DCS_NOT_FOUND error (0X80300002) means the Performance Logging and Alerts (PLA) service can’t find the Data Collector Set object it’s trying to use. This usually happens because:

A Windows update or a third-party tool (like antivirus) corrupted the set’s XML definition.
You restored logs from a backup but the set wasn’t properly recreated.
The set was manually deleted or renamed by another process.

The PLA service stores Data Collector Sets in the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib\DataCollectorSets. If that registry key is missing or has invalid entries, the service can’t load the set. Deleting and recreating the set writes fresh, valid entries to that key.

Some folks try to repair the registry directly — but it’s faster to just delete and recreate via the GUI. Don’t overthink it.

Less Common Variations of the Same Problem

If the basic fix didn’t work, try these:

1. The Set Exists but Won’t Start

Right-click the set, go to Properties, and check the Directory tab. Make sure the log file path points to a real, writable folder. If the path doesn’t exist (like after a drive letter change), create it or change the path. Also, under Performance Counters, verify that all counters in the list are still available on your system. Some counters may have been removed by a Windows feature update.

2. The PLA Service Is Stopped

This one’s rare but worth checking. Open Services (services.msc), find Performance Logs & Alerts, and confirm it’s running. If it’s stopped, set the startup type to Automatic and start it.

3. Corrupted Performance Counter Libraries

If recreation doesn’t work, the underlying counters might be damaged. Run these commands as Administrator:

lodctr /R
cd c:\windows\system32
lodctr /E:Performance

This resets the performance counter registry and re-enables the system’s counter library. After that, recreate your Data Collector Set.

4. Permissions Issue

If you’re running as a standard user, you might not have write access to the Data Collector Set’s registry path. Run Performance Monitor as Administrator (right-click, Run as administrator) and try the fix again.

Prevention: Keep Your Data Collector Sets Clean

To stop this from happening again:

Don’t manually delete registry keys under DataCollectorSets. Always remove sets via Performance Monitor’s GUI.
After a major Windows update (like a feature update to Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2), check your custom Data Collector Sets. These updates sometimes reset counter definitions, causing sets to break.
Export your working sets as XML: Right-click a set, go to Export > Export Template. If a set breaks later, you can import it back quickly.
Avoid running Performance Monitor on a system that’s under heavy antivirus scanning — some scanners lock counter DLLs, causing corruption.

That’s it. You should be back to logging performance data in under 5 minutes. If you’re still stuck, double-check that you’re using an Administrator account — that’s the #1 thing people skip.