begin work

Author: haywoodsloan

support/sql/database-engine/agent/job-failed-error-258.md

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+---
+title: Troubleshoot SQL Agent Job Failures with Error 258
+description: Learn how to troubleshoot and resolve repeated crashes of the SQL Agent service. Follow step-by-step solutions to fix registry issues and improve stability.
+ms.date: 12/04/2025
+ms.custom: sap:SQL Agent (Jobs, Alerts, Operators)\Job failures, job scheduling and monitoring
+ms.reviewer: prmadhes, v-shaywood
+---
+
+# SQL Agent job fails with error 258
+
+This article provides troubleshooting guidance for an issue where SQL Agent jobs fail with error code 258.
+
+## Symptoms
+
+The SQL Agent service is running, but scheduled SQL Agent jobs are not being executed. The SQL Server and Agent logs show network and login timeouts as well as failed logons.
+
+The following is an example of the error message that is added to the logs:
+
+```output
+SQLServer Error: 258, TCP Provider: Timeout error [258]
+ODBC Error: 0, Login timeout expired [SQLSTATE HYT00]
+SQLServer Error: 258, Unable to complete login process due to delay in prelogin response [SQLSTATE 08001]
+Logon to server '<ServerName>' failed (ConnLogJobHistory)
+```
+
+## Cause
+
+This issue can be caused by any of the following underlying problems:
+
+- Blocking of `msdb` system tables used by Agent, which prevents job metadata reads and writes.
+  - Example system tables: `dbo.sysjobs`, `dbo.sysjobschedulers`, and `dbo.jobsteps`.
+- Hangs inside important SQL Server Agent threads or other process-level problems.
+- Worker thread exhaustion in SQL Server (no workers available), making the Agent unable to connect or process schedules.
+
+## Solution
+
+

support/sql/database-engine/toc.yml

@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ items:
   href: startup-shutdown/toc.yml
 
 - name: SQL Agent (Jobs, Alerts, Operators)
-  items:
+  items: agent/
 
 
 - name: SQL Server resource usage (CPU, Memory, Storage) and Configuration