A SQL Server agent crashes when you try to start it or takes longer than expected to start. Additionally, you may experience one or more of the following scenarios:
Scenario 1
The following error message is logged in the System event log:The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashionScenario 2
The status of the agent is displayed as "Starting" in Control Panel, and the following error message is logged in the SQLAgent.log file:An idle CPU condition has not been defined - OnIdle job schedules will have no effect
Additionally, the following entries may be logged in the SQLAgent.log file:<Time Stamp> - ? [431] Populating subsystems cache...
<Time Stamp> - ? [432] There are 7 subsystems in the subsystems cache
<Time Stamp> - ? [124] Subsystem 'ActiveScripting' successfully loaded (maximum concurrency: 40)
<Time Stamp> - ? [124] Subsystem 'ANALYSISCOMMAND' successfully loaded (maximum concurrency: 400)
<Time Stamp> - ? [124] Subsystem 'ANALYSISQUERY' successfully loaded (maximum concurrency: 400)
<Time Stamp> - ? [124] Subsystem 'CmdExec' successfully loaded (maximum concurrency: 40)
<Time Stamp> - ? [124] Subsystem 'PowerShell' successfully loaded (maximum concurrency: 2)
<Time Stamp> - ? [124] Subsystem 'SSIS' successfully loaded (maximum concurrency: 400)
<Time Stamp> - ? [124] Subsystem 'TSQL' successfully loaded (maximum concurrency: 80)
<Time Stamp> - ! [364] The Messenger service has not been started - NetSend notifications will not be sent
<Time Stamp> - ? [129] SQLSERVERAGENT starting under Windows NT service control
<Time Stamp> - + [396] An idle CPU condition has not been defined - OnIdle job schedules will have no effect
<Time Stamp> - ? [110] Starting SQLServerAgent Monitor using '' as the notification recipient...
<Time Stamp> - ? [146] Request servicer engine started
<Time Stamp> - ? [133] Support engine started
<Time Stamp> - ? [167] Populating job cache...
<Time Stamp> - ? [131] SQLSERVERAGENT service stopping due to a stop request from a user, process, or the OS...
<Time Stamp> - ? [134] Support engine stopped
<Time Stamp> - ? [197] Alert engine stopped
<Time Stamp> - ? [168] There are 4731 job(s) [0 disabled] in the job cache
<Time Stamp> - ? [170] Populating alert cache...
<Time Stamp> - ? [171] There are 0 alert(s) in the alert cache
<Time Stamp> - ? [149] Request servicer engine stopped
<Time Stamp> - ? [248] Saving NextRunDate/Times for all updated job schedules...
<Time Stamp> - ? [249] 0 job schedule(s) saved
<Time Stamp> - ? [127] Waiting for subsystems to finish...
<Time Stamp> - ? [128] Subsystem 'ActiveScripting' stopped (exit code 1)
<Time Stamp> - ? [128] Subsystem 'ANALYSISCOMMAND' stopped (exit code 1)
<Time Stamp> - ? [128] Subsystem 'ANALYSISQUERY' stopped (exit code 1)
<Time Stamp> - ? [128] Subsystem 'CmdExec' stopped (exit code 1)
<Time Stamp> - ? [128] Subsystem 'PowerShell' stopped (exit code 1)
<Time Stamp> - ? [128] Subsystem 'SSIS' stopped (exit code 1)
<Time Stamp> - ? [175] Job scheduler engine stoppedScenario 3
A SQL Server process ID (SPID) from the "SQLAgent - Generic Refresher" service is displayed on the database engine server. Additionally, the following job is displayed as running in the input buffer of the SPID:EXECUTE msdb.dbo.sp_sqlagent_refresh_job
Note The SPID is in the RUNNABLE state and regularly waits for the PREEMPTIVE_OS_LOOKUPACCOUNTSID wait type. Or, the SPID is in a waiting state for the ASYNC_NETWORKIO wait type.