Update error-1053-service-did-not-start-timely.md

Edit review per CI 8522

Author: przlplx

support/sql/database-engine/agent/error-1053-service-did-not-start-timely.md

@@ -1,42 +1,42 @@
 ---
 title: Troubleshoot SQL Agent Startup Failures with Error 1053
-description: Troubleshoot SQL Server Agent error 1053. Follow step-by-step guidance to fix registry issues and restore service functionality after Windows updates.
+description: Troubleshoot SQL Server Agent Error 1053. Follow step-by-step guidance to fix registry issues and restore service functionality after Windows updates.
 ms.date: 12/05/2025
 ms.custom: sap:Startup, shutdown, restart issues (instance or database)\Database or Server is taking long time to start or shut down or restart
 ms.reviewer: prmadhes, v-shaywood
 ---
 
-# Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion
+# "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"
 
-This article provides troubleshooting guidance for an issue where the [SQL Server Agent](/ssms/agent/sql-server-agent) fails to start and returns error _1053_.
+This article provides troubleshooting guidance for an issue in which the [SQL Server Agent](/ssms/agent/sql-server-agent) doesn't start, and it returns Error _1053_.
 
 ## Symptoms
 
 When this issue occurs, you see the following symptoms:
 
-- The SQL Server Agent service fails to start after a recent Windows update.
-- The [Windows Event Log](/windows/win32/wes/windows-event-log) service also fails to start.
+- The SQL Server Agent service doesn't start after a recent Windows update is installed.
+- The [Windows Event Log](/windows/win32/wes/windows-event-log) service doesn't start.
 
-When the SQL Server Agent fails to start, it returns the following error message:
+If the SQL Server Agent doesn't start, it returns the following error message:
 
 > Windows could not start the SQL Server Agent service on Local Computer.  
 > Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.
 
 ## Cause
 
-This issue occurs when one or more registry keys under `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` use the `DWORD` type instead of the correct `REG_SZ` (string) type.
+This issue occurs if one or more registry keys under the `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` subkey use the `DWORD` type instead of the correct `REG_SZ` (string) type.
 
-These invalid registry keys prevent the Windows Event Log service from starting. Because the SQL Server Agent depends on the Windows Event Log service, when the Windows Event Log service is unavailable the SQL Server Agent also fails to start and returns error _1053_.
+These invalid registry keys prevent the Windows Event Log service from starting. The SQL Server Agent depends on the Windows Event Log service. Therefore, if the Windows Event Log service is unavailable, the SQL Server Agent also doesn't start, and it returns Error _1053_.
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
-> If the registry key `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` doesn't exist, no Event Log policies are configured for your system. In that case, the solution provided in this article doesn't apply.
+> If the registry key `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` doesn't exist, no event log policies are configured for your system. In that case, the solution that's provided in this article doesn't apply.
 
 ## Solution
 
-1. Verify that the SQL Server Agent fails to start by attempting to start it by using one of the following methods:
+1. Verify that the SQL Server Agent didn't start. Try to start it by using any of the following methods:
     - [Service Control Manager (services.msc)](/windows/win32/services/about-services)
     - [SQL Server Configuration Manager](/sql/tools/configuration-manager/sql-server-configuration-manager)
-    - [Command Prompt](/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/start-stop-pause-resume-restart-sql-server-services#command-prompt-window-using-net-commands)
+    - [Command prompt](/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/start-stop-pause-resume-restart-sql-server-services#command-prompt-window-using-net-commands)
 
        ```cli
        NET START SQLSERVERAGENT
@@ -48,46 +48,46 @@ These invalid registry keys prevent the Windows Event Log service from starting.
        Start-Service SQLSERVERAGENT
        ```
 
-1. If the SQL Server Agent starts successfully, the problem is resolved. However, if the SQL Server Agent fails to start and returns error 1053, proceed to the next step.
-1. Check the SQL Agent logs located in `%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\<Instance>\MSSQL\Log\SQLAGENT.OUT` after attempting to start the SQL Agent. If no new entries are added to the logs, this condition confirms that the SQL Server Agent fails before initialization. Proceed to the next step.
-1. Attempt to start the Event Log service by running the following command in an elevated command prompt:
+1. If the SQL Server Agent starts successfully, the problem is resolved. However, if the SQL Server Agent doesn't start, and it returns Error 1053, go to the next step.
+1. Check the SQL Agent logs, located at `%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\<Instance>\MSSQL\Log\SQLAGENT.OUT`, after you try to start the SQL Server Agent. If no new entries are added to the logs, this condition confirms that the SQL Server Agent fails before initialization. Go to the next step.
+1. Try to start the Event Log service by running the following command in an elevated Command Prompt window:
 
     ```cli
     NET START EVENTLOG
     ```
 
-1. If the Event Log service starts successfully, the problem is resolved. However, if the Event Log service fails to start (no logs appear when you open the [Event Viewer](/host-integration-server/core/windows-event-viewer1)) proceed to the next step.
+1. If the Event Log service starts successfully, the problem is resolved. However, if the Event Log service doesn't start (no logs appear when you open the [Event Viewer](/host-integration-server/core/windows-event-viewer1)) go to the next step.
 1. Check the Event Log folder `C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs` for event log files:
-   - If the folder contains `.evtx` log files, proceed to the next step.
-   - If the folder doesn't contain log files, the Windows Event Log might be corrupted. To troubleshoot a corrupted Windows Event Log, see [How to delete corrupt Event Viewer Log files](~/windows-server/application-management/delete-corrupt-event-viewer-log-files.md).
-1. Use the [System File Checker (SFC)](/troubleshoot/windows-server/installing-updates-features-roles/system-file-checker) to repair any corrupted system components by running the following command from an elevated command prompt:
+   - If the folder contains `.evtx` log files, go to the next step.
+   - If the folder doesn't contain log files, the Windows event log might be corrupted. To troubleshoot a corrupted Windows event log, see [How to delete corrupt Event Viewer Log files](~/windows-server/application-management/delete-corrupt-event-viewer-log-files.md).
+1. Use the [System File Checker (SFC)](/troubleshoot/windows-server/installing-updates-features-roles/system-file-checker) to repair any corrupted system components by running the following command in an elevated Command Prompt window:
 
     ```cli
     sfc /scannow
     ```
 
-1. Create a backup of the existing registry keys before making any registry changes, use one of the following methods:
+1. Create a backup of the existing registry keys before you make any registry changes. Use one of the following methods:
 
-   - Open the [Registry Editor](~/windows-server/performance/windows-registry-advanced-users.md#use-the-windows-user-interface), then right-click the `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` key and select **Export**.
+   - Open [Registry Editor](~/windows-server/performance/windows-registry-advanced-users.md#use-the-windows-user-interface), right-click the `HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` key, and then select **Export**.
 
-   - From an elevated command prompt, run the following command:
+   - In an elevated Command Prompt window, run the following command:
 
      ```cli
      reg export "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog" "<Path_To_Store_Backup>/EventLog_Backup.reg"
      ```
 
-1. Open the [Registry Editor](~/windows-server/performance/windows-registry-advanced-users.md#use-the-windows-user-interface) and navigate to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog`.
-1. Under the `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` key and all its subkeys:
+1. Open the [Registry Editor](~/windows-server/performance/windows-registry-advanced-users.md#use-the-windows-user-interface), and navigate to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog`.
+1. Under the `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` subkey and all its sub-entries:
    1. Identify and delete any registry values that are configured as a `DWORD` type.
-   1. Recreate the deleted `DWORD` values by using the same name and the `REG_SZ` type.
+   1. Re-create the deleted `DWORD` values by using the same name and the `REG_SZ` type.
 
-1. Delete the problematic `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` key by running the following command:
+1. Delete the problematic `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` subkey by running the following command:
 
     ```cli
     reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog" /f
     ```
 
-1. Restart your device, so Windows can recreate the Event Log configuration by using default settings.
+1. Restart your device to let Windows re-create the event log configuration by using default settings.
 1. After your device restarts, start the Windows Event Log service by running the following command:
 
     ```cli