Can't start SQL Server Agent

  • In Configuration Manager I right click on SQL Server Agent -> and Start. For a while the dialogue box progress bar is moving along but then I get the error "The request failed or the service did not respond in a timely fashion. Consult the event log..."

    Log File Viewer shows the following error: 'The description for Event ID '-1073734824' in Source 'Service Control Manager' cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display the message, or you may not have permission to access them. The following information is part of the event: 'SQL Server Agent (MSSQLSERVER)'%%1069'.

    Thank you.

  • Are you an administrator?

    Did you check the Event Logs for Windows, especially the security log?

  • Yeah, check permissions on the account being used to start the agent. services.msc. you will find the account info in there. If it isa domain account, check that someone hasn't disabled it or the password hasn't been updated

  • Steve Jones - Editor (6/22/2010)


    Are you an administrator?

    Did you check the Event Logs for Windows, especially the security log?

    Event Logs show the corresponding Event IDs to be 7000 and 7038. Both are for Service Start Operations

    Per technet's website I was advised to run "sc query SQL Agent" from a command line to see what error code Service Control Manager encountered when trying to start the service and it gave me the following:

    "EnumQueryServicesStatus: OpenService FAILED 1060:

    The specified service does not exist as an installed service.

    It seems to be suggesting I don't have SQL Server Agent installed, doesn't it? But, ofcourse, I installed it. Do I just reinsert SQL Server 2008 CD and reinstall that service?

  • henners72 (6/22/2010)


    Yeah, check permissions on the account being used to start the agent. services.msc. you will find the account info in there. If it isa domain account, check that someone hasn't disabled it or the password hasn't been updated

    OK. The account being used to start SQL Agent is ./Administrator. It is not a domain account as this instance is on a desktop that is part of a WorkGroup.

    How do you check that the ./Administrator has permissions to start SQL Agent?

    Thanks in advance.

  • further reading stated "This issue may occur if the sysadmin server role login of the SQL Server Agent service account or the SQL Server Agent service security principal (SID) is removed or missing from the SQL Server 2008 installation."

    So I executed the following to make sure that the sysadmin role was not missing from the SQL Agent service account:

    EXEC sp_addsrvrolemember 'NT SERVICE\SQLServerAgent', 'sysadmin';

    GO

    Still, SQL Agent won't start.

  • additionally I turned Agent XPs on because in Object Explorer Agent XPs were disabled:

    sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;

    GO

    RECONFIGURE;

    GO

    sp_configure 'Agent XPs', 1;

    GO

    RECONFIGURE

    GO

    Still in Server Configuration Manager I can't start SQL Agent.

  • Update,

    I re-entered the password in the password field for the service account that I am running SQL Server Agent under and hit Start again.

    The service is now running. However, if I click OK or Apply in the dialogue box I get "Access Denied".

    Using the same service account/password ie. Administrator service account I tried to start another service that is stopped: SSIS, it failed to start.

  • Here's what I'd do. Create a new local account. Then us the Configuration Manager to set this as the account for SQL Agent. You don't want to use Control Panel since it doesn't set the proper permissions.

  • Steve Jones - Editor (6/22/2010)


    Here's what I'd do. Create a new local account. Then us the Configuration Manager to set this as the account for SQL Agent. You don't want to use Control Panel since it doesn't set the proper permissions.

    Hate to ask, but a new Local System or Local Service Account? How?

    I now know how to change the service account that starts SQL Agent, but I don't know how to create a new service account once SQL Service is already installed. The training kit says these things must be done prior to installation and I think you are saying not to go to Control Panel to do this. So, I don't know where to go to create a new 'local account'.

    🙁

  • Go to control panel and you can create a new account there. Looks like the password was incorrect for sql agent. Event wiewer sould display the error message. Always a good place to start

  • Hmm, that is in conflict with what Editor said:

    "You don't want to use Control Panel since it doesn't set the proper permissions."

    Also, I am administrator and my logon password works for everything else. It appears to be a permissions issue. I would like to know how to alter permission for SQL Server Agent service account so that as Admin I don't have trouble running SQL Agent.

    In Event Viewer the error codes are the same as before.

  • Use the configuration manager to set the service account for all SQL Services. It will ensure the correct permissions.

  • OK, I understand that to mean the Config Manager will take care of appropriating the right permissions to the service account for the service "automatically". Otherwise, the only place where I know to modify permissions for the user Administrator is in SSMS under the Security->Logins. When I right click on the Administrator, then Properties tab, I see that the server roles granted are public and sysadmin.

    I believe I will have to troubleshoot this problem from another angle, ie. by tackling the SSIS service, as I do not want to lose SQL Agent right now which at least is running despite the error I got. Currently, I can't start SSIS either. The Event IDs in Event Logs are different ie Event ID 4625 "unknown user name or bad password". Further info from Event Viewer are: The Account for Which Logon Filed has a Security ID of NULL SID, status code: 0xc000006d (undefined), substatus 0xc000006a (which means "user name is correct by the password is wrong").

    Grr. I'm using Administrator...and same password that I use to login to SQL Server which ofcourse is running.

    Steve, I'd really like to know how to "Create a new local account". I have no problem with the idea of using a different service account to run SQL Agent or SSIS, I just don't know how to create a new local account post-install.

    Different service same problem. I hope I should not start a different post for that (?)

  • henners72 (6/22/2010)


    Yeah, check permissions on the account being used to start the agent. services.msc. you will find the account info in there. If it isa domain account, check that someone hasn't disabled it or the password hasn't been updated

    OK GrassHopper. I came back to your comment about services.msc. I realized that this is the same thing as Start-> Admin tools -> Services. Indeed, indeed, this was the solution. The password, even when corrected in Config Manager did not take. I updated the password and accounts for each service in services.msc and VOILA it solved the problem.

    I realize now this problem began with my changing my password (as I was prompted to by Windows Server 2008). I didn't know to update the passwords in SQL Server.

    Oh thank you!!!! Thank you both of you. This has been a most instructive problem.

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