Here's my order of replacement.  If the container is broken and allows moisture in, I'll find the driest possible spot on the log to sign my name and file the NM, perhaps drying it out as it will just get wet again.  If the container appears to be in good shape, I'll do my best to dry out the log that's in there (assuming I have a heat source) before returning things to how I found them.  If the log is mushy wet and stays wet (based on prior logs), then putting in a a dry log seems pointless as