To ensure that a reboot or other problem doesnt permanently scupper logging:
Right click on your counter log and choose properties > select the
schedule tab > select stop log after 1 day and start new log file
when a log closes should do the trick.
This sets the performance logs and alerts service to automatic
startup, if its not set this way the service will not start
automatically on reboot even if you set it to auto.
When you choose to write to a table a db called perfmon with 3 tables is automatically created on the designated server.