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Merge pull request #10303 from haywoodsloan/8521-sql-agent-job-failed
AB#8521: Error 258 SQL Agent Job Failed
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‎support/sql/database-engine/agent/job-failed-error-258.md‎

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---
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title: Troubleshoot SQL Server Agent Job Failures with Error 258
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description: Troubleshoot SQL Server Agent job failures (error 258). Learn how to resolve timeout issues, fix registry problems, and ensure stable job execution.
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ms.date: 12/04/2025
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ms.custom: sap:SQL Agent (Jobs, Alerts, Operators)\Job failures, job scheduling and monitoring
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ms.reviewer: prmadhes, v-shaywood
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---
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# SQL Server Agent job fails and returns error 258
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This article provides troubleshooting guidance for an issue that causes Microsoft SQL Server Agent jobs to fail and generates error code 258.
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## Symptoms
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The [SQL Server Agent service](/ssms/agent/sql-server-agent#sql-server-agent-components) runs, but scheduled SQL Server Agent jobs don't run. The SQL Server and Agent logs show network and authentication timeouts in addition to failed sign-ins.
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The following example shows the error message that's added to the logs:
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```output
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SQLServer Error: 258, TCP Provider: Timeout error [258]
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ODBC Error: 0, Login timeout expired [SQLSTATE HYT00]
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SQLServer Error: 258, Unable to complete login process due to delay in prelogin response [SQLSTATE 08001]
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Logon to server '<ServerName>' failed (ConnLogJobHistory)
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```
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## Cause
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This issue can be caused by any of the following underlying problems:
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- Blocking on [msdb](/sql/relational-databases/databases/msdb-database) system tables that SQL Agent uses. This blocking prevents job metadata read and write operations.
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- Example system tables include `dbo.sysjobs`, `dbo.sysjobschedulers`, and `dbo.jobsteps`.
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- Non response (hangs) in important SQL Server Agent threads or other process-level problems.
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- Worker thread exhaustion in SQL Server (no workers available). This exhaustion prevents the Agent from connecting or processing schedules.
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## Solution
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1. Verify that the SQL Server Agent service is running. Use one of the following PowerShell commands:
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- For default SQL instances:
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```powershell
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Get-Service -Name "SQLSERVERAGENT"
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```
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- For named SQL instances:
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```powershell
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Get-Service -Name "SQLSERVERAGENT$<InstanceName>"
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```
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1. If the SQL Server Agent service isn't running, start it by using one of the following commands:
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- For default SQL instances:
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```powershell
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Start-Service -Name "SQLSERVERAGENT"
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```
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- For named SQL instances:
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```powershell
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Start-Service -Name "SQLSERVERAGENT$<InstanceName>"
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```
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1. If jobs continue to fail after you start the SQL Server Agent service, go to the next step. If jobs are finishing successfully, the issue is resolved and no further action is required.
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1. Check the jobs and schedules in `msdb`. Start [SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)](/ssms/install/install), and run the following query:
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```tsql
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USE msdb;
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GO
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-- List enabled jobs
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SELECT name, enabled, description
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FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobs
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WHERE enabled = 1;
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GO
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-- List schedules and next run information
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SELECT
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s.name AS ScheduleName,
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j.name AS JobName,
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s.enabled AS ScheduleEnabled,
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s.active_start_date,
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s.active_end_time
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FROM msdb.dbo.sysjobs j
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JOIN msdb.dbo.sysjobschedules js ON j.job_id = js.job_id
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JOIN msdb.dbo.sysschedules s ON js.schedule_id = s.schedule_id
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WHERE j.enabled = 1;
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GO
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```
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Analyze the query output for any jobs that are enabled but failed. Investigate the job history and job-step outputs for any problematic jobs to identify and fix underlying problems.
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1. Detect blocking sessions on `msdb` Agent system tables by running the following query in SSMS:
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```tsql
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USE msdb;
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GO
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SELECT
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session_id,
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blocking_session_id,
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wait_type,
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wait_duration_ms,
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resource_description
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FROM sys.dm_os_waiting_tasks
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WHERE resource_description LIKE '%sysjobs%'
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OR resource_description LIKE '%sysjobschedulers%'
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OR resource_description LIKE '%jobsteps%';
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GO
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```
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- To identify the query that's associated with a blocking session, run the following query in SSMS:
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```tsql
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SELECT
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wt.session_id,
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wt.blocking_session_id,
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wt.wait_type,
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wt.wait_duration_ms,
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wt.resource_description,
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er.status,
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er.command,
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er.cpu_time,
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er.total_elapsed_time,
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txt.text AS sql_text
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FROM sys.dm_os_waiting_tasks wt
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LEFT JOIN sys.dm_exec_requests er
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ON wt.session_id = er.session_id
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CROSS APPLY sys.dm_exec_sql_text(er.sql_handle) AS txt
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WHERE wt.resource_description LIKE '%sysjobs%'
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OR wt.resource_description LIKE '%sysjobschedulers%'
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OR wt.resource_description LIKE '%jobsteps%';
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```
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1. Resolve or terminate any blocking sessions that you identified in the previous step. To terminate a session, run the following query in SSMS:
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```tsql
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Kill <Blocking_Session_ID>
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```
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After all blocking sessions are resolved or terminated, go to the next step.
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1. Check for any worker, thread, or resource health problems by running the following query in SSMS:
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```tsql
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/* ============================================================
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HEALTH CHECK (Worker, CPU, Memory)
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============================================================ */
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SELECT
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Section,
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Metric,
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Value,
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ExtraInfo
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FROM (
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/* ===============================
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WORKER THREAD STATUS
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=============================== */
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SELECT
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CAST('WORKER THREAD STATUS' AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Section,
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CAST(CONCAT('Scheduler ', scheduler_id) AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Metric,
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CAST(CONCAT('Workers: ', active_workers_count, '/', current_workers_count) AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Value,
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CAST(CONCAT('WorkQueue=', work_queue_count, ', Idle=', is_idle) AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS ExtraInfo
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FROM sys.dm_os_schedulers
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WHERE scheduler_id < 255
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UNION ALL
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/* ===============================
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CPU PRESSURE
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=============================== */
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SELECT
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CAST('CPU PRESSURE' AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Section,
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CAST(CONCAT('Scheduler ', scheduler_id) AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Metric,
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CAST(CONCAT('RunnableTasks=', runnable_tasks_count) AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Value,
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CAST(CONCAT('PendingIO=', pending_disk_io_count) AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS ExtraInfo
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FROM sys.dm_os_schedulers
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WHERE scheduler_id < 255
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UNION ALL
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/* ===============================
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MEMORY STATUS (System)
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=============================== */
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SELECT
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CAST('MEMORY STATUS' AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Section,
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CAST('SystemMemoryState' AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Metric,
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CAST(system_memory_state_desc AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Value,
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CAST(CONCAT('TotalMB=', total_physical_memory_kb/1024,
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', AvailableMB=', available_physical_memory_kb/1024) AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS ExtraInfo
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FROM sys.dm_os_sys_memory
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UNION ALL
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/* ===============================
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PAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY
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=============================== */
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SELECT
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CAST('PAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY' AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Section,
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CAST('PLE' AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Metric,
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CAST(cntr_value AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS Value,
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CAST(NULL AS VARCHAR(MAX)) AS ExtraInfo
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FROM sys.dm_os_performance_counters
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WHERE counter_name = 'Page life expectancy'
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AND object_name LIKE '%Buffer Manager%'
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) AS x
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ORDER BY Section, Metric;
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```
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Investigate the output of the health check query for any of the following problems as determined by the given symptoms:
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- Worker thread pressure:
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- Worker exhaustion, for example `Workers: 512/512`.
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- `WorkQueue` is greater than zero. This value indicates that tasks are waiting and the system is overloaded.
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- CPU pressure:
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- `RunnableTasks` is greater than zero. This value indicates that a CPU bottleneck exists. A non-zero value can also indicate that the SQL Server scheduler is being monopolized by a thread (a non-yielding scheduler).
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- Memory pressure:
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- `Memory state` is `LOW`. This value indicates that the overall system is low on memory.
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- A low value for `AvailableMB`. This value indicates high memory usage for SQL Server.
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- A `PLE` value of less than 300. This value indicates high memory churn.
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1. If you identified any worker, CPU, or memory issues in the previous step, reduce your current workload to resolve the issues. If you didn't identify any issues, go to the next step.
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1. Restart the SQL Server Agent by running one of the following PowerShell commands:
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> [!IMPORTANT]
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> Restarting the SQL Server Agent interrupts any currently running jobs.
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- For default SQL Server instances:
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```powershell
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Restart-Service -Name "SQLSERVERAGENT"
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```
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- For named SQL Server instances:
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```powershell
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Restart-Service -Name "SQLAgent$<InstanceName>"
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```
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1. After SQL Server Agent restarts, verify that jobs are now running. Use the [Job Activity Monitor](/ssms/agent/monitor-job-activity#job-activity-monitor).
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## Related content
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- [SQL Server Agent overview](/ssms/agent/sql-server-agent)
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- [View the SQL Server Agent error log](/ssms/agent/view-sql-server-agent-error-log-sql-server-management-studio)
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- [Create a SQL Server Agent job](/ssms/agent/create-a-job)

‎support/sql/database-engine/toc.yml‎

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items:
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- name: "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"
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href: agent/error-1053-service-did-not-start-timely.md
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- name: SQL Agent job fails with error 258
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href: agent/job-failed-error-258.md
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- name: SQL Server resource usage (CPU, Memory, Storage) and Configuration
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items:

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