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Geo Ego
Asked: 2010-05-21 08:17:52 +0800 CST

SQL Server Agent refuses to start

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I'm having a problem with SQL Server 2005 where the SQL Server Agent suddenly refuses to start. If I attempt to start it through Services, I get the error "SQL Server Agent (MSSQLSERVER) service on Local Computer started and then stopped." In the Application log, I have the following entry:

Event Type: Error
Event Source:   SQLSERVERAGENT
Event Category: Service Control 
Event ID:            103
Date:       5/20/2010
Time:       11:07:07 AM
User:       N/A
Computer:            SHAREPOINT
Description:
SQLServerAgent could not be started (reason: Unable to connect to server 'SHAREPOINT'; SQLServerAgent cannot start).

This database has been running fine for four months. It contains a SharePoint configuration database, which two days ago stopped working, throwing me a message that the configuration database cannot be reached. It was then that I realized the SQL Server Agent was not running, and I have been unable to restart it. I have tried running it with both the local system account and the network service account, with the same results. So far, I have tried:

  • Granting the administrators group, network service, and SharePoint SQL Server Agent account public and sysadmin roles on the database.
  • Granting the administrators group, network service, and SharePoint SQL Server Agent account full permissions to the entire MSSQL directory and all files within.

I still have no joy.

sql-server sql-server-2005 sharepoint

2 Answers

  1. You could try running ProcMon from SysInternals, filtering out that particular process, and seeing where it's failing: i.e. is it having DNS issues? Missing registry key? You'll see some low-level errors that may help you isolate what the issue is.

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  2. Best Answer

    It looks like this site has some troubleshooting steps you can try:

    http://blogs.msdn.com/sqlserverfaq/archive/2009/06/12/unable-to-start-sql-server-agent.aspx

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