SQL Server Agent will not start and there are no error logs.

  • I am having trouble setting the service account for SQL Server Agent. I have setup SQL Server 2005 on Windows 2008. After the initial install, I changed service accounts to use domain users. Now the Agent service will not start and there are no logs that indicate what happened.

    Here is what I did:

    1. Created two domain accounts in the domain Users groups. SQL_Srv1 for SQL Server, and “SQL_Srv1_Agent” for SQL Server Agent.

    2. Added the two accounts to the “Log on as a service” policy.

    3. Stopped SQL Server and SQL Server Agent.

    4. In SQL Server Configuration Manager, set the SQL Server service to use “domain\SQL_Srv1” as the log on account. Clicked OK. No problem here. The service started right up.

    5. In SQL Server Configuration Manager, set the SQL Server service to use “domain\SQL_Srv1_Agent” as the log on account. Clicked OK. I was presented with a WMI Provider Error: “The process terminated unexpectedly. [0x8007042b].”

    6. Checked the error log to see what happened. There was nothing in there other than the “Configuration option 'Agent XPs' changed from 1 to 0” error which I think is normal when the Agent fails to start.

    7. Checked the Windows Application logs in Event Viewer. The only logs where “SQLServerAgent service successfully stopped”

    8. Checked the Windows Security logs in Event Viewer. There is an Audit Success log for domain\SQL_Srv1_Agent.

    Any ideas?

    Thank you in advanced.

    Jon

  • I would verify that your new user account for the agent was added to the right local windows groups. There is a specific group for the Agent and that instance that your account needs to be a part of to have the right access.

    You should also check the SQL Server logs to see if there are any messages there.

    Also check the file system permissions on the folders where the system databases were installed to verify that the local windows group has the correct permissions.

    And finally, you don't need to do step 2 - that is no longer required.

    See this article for further information: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283811

    Jeffrey Williams
    “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”

    ― Charles R. Swindoll

    How to post questions to get better answers faster
    Managing Transaction Logs

  • 5. In SQL Server Configuration Manager, set the SQL Server service to use “domain\SQL_Srv1_Agent” as the log on account. Clicked OK. I was presented with a WMI Provider Error: “The process terminated unexpectedly. [0x8007042b].”

    I think it is just security issue, try this use "domain\SQL_Srv1" for SQL server agent services also, see if agent starts successfully.

    EnjoY!
  • I think it is just security issue, try this use "domain\SQL_Srv1" for SQL server agent services also, see if agent starts successfully.

    GTR - Thank you, but I already tried that.

  • Also check the file system permissions on the folders where the system databases were installed to verify that the local windows group has the correct permissions.

    Jeffrey - That did it. Thank you.

    I gave full control to the local Windows group SQLServer2005SQLAgentUser$ServerName$MSSQLSERVER on the E:\MSSQL\LOG folder. These are the same permissions as the default folder: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\LOG. Weird, I thought I tried this.

    The strange thing is, I did not have to do this on the E:\MSSQL\LOG folder or the F:\MSSQL\DATA folder for the SQL Server Service which uses the SQL_Srv1 domain account. I verified that SQL_Srv1 is NOT a local administrator.

    Hopefully some can explain why.

  • GTR - Even though I already tried your suggestion, it turns out you where correct about it being a permissions problem. Thank you.

  • Jon Russell (3/15/2010)


    GTR - Even though I already tried your suggestion, it turns out you where correct about it being a permissions problem. Thank you.

    Is it working now?

    EnjoY!
  • GTR - Yes, it is working now. Thanks.

  • Jon Russell (3/15/2010)


    GTR - Yes, it is working now. Thanks.

    Just curious, what did you change?

    EnjoY!
  • GTR (3/15/2010)


    Jon Russell (3/15/2010)


    GTR - Yes, it is working now. Thanks.

    Just curious, what did you change?

    Take a look at my reply to Jeffery.

  • Jon Russell (3/15/2010)


    GTR (3/15/2010)


    Jon Russell (3/15/2010)


    GTR - Yes, it is working now. Thanks.

    Just curious, what did you change?

    Take a look at my reply to Jeffery.

    Sorry, too much lunch:-)

    EnjoY!

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