Since installing Service Pack 1 for System Center Essentials (SCE), almost all of my computers are reporting the following error:

“Performance Module could not find a performance counter”

This is extremely annoying because it looks as though all of my clients are in trouble.

I have not been able to find much support for System Center Essentials and this issue. However, over on the blog for SCE’s big brother, System Center Operations Manager, there is a workaround for this same issue for their Service Pack 1. The instructions work for SCE as well.

Note that this is only a workaround. Microsoft still needs to provide a permanent fix which may entail updated Management Packs.

1. Navigate to the Authoring Space in the Console.
2. Select “Rules” under “Management Pack Objects”.
3. Type “Performance Data Source Module” in the “Look for:” box and click “Find Now”. Be sure a Scope is not set or filtering the “Health Service” Target.
4. Find the rule, “Performance Data Source Module could not find a performance counter” under “Type: Health Service (2)”*, right-click, select “Overrides”, “Disable the Rule”, “For all objects of type: Health Service”.
   *Note: In my installation, I only had “Type: Health Service (1)”
5. When prompted, “Are you sure you want to disable this rule for Health Service?” click “Yes”.

This should minimize your headaches until Service Pack 2 is released.