Initial doc and toc

Author: haywoodsloan

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

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+---
+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.
+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
+
+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.
+
+## 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.
+
+When the SQL Server Agent fails to 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 found under `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` are stored as a `DWORD` type rather than the correct `REG_SZ` (string) type.
+
+These incorrect registry keys cause the Windows Event Log service to fail, which prevents the SQL Server Agent from starting.
+
+## Solution
+
+1. Verify that the SQL Agent fails to start by attempting to start it with one of the following tools:
+    1. [Service Control Manager (services.msc)](/windows/win32/services/about-services)
+    1. [SQL Server Configuration Manager](/sql/tools/configuration-manager/sql-server-configuration-manager)
+    1. [Command Prompt](/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/start-stop-pause-resume-restart-sql-server-services#command-prompt-window-using-net-commands)
+    1. [PowerShell](/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/start-stop-pause-resume-restart-sql-server-services#powershell)
+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 confirmation that the SQL Agent service fails before initialization.
+1. Attempt to start the Event Log service by using the following command:
+
+    ```cli
+    NET START EVENTLOG
+    ```
+
+    If the Event Log service fails to start, no logs appear when you open the [Event Viewer](/host-integration-server/core/windows-event-viewer1).
+1. Check the Event Log folder (`C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs`) and verify that it contains log files. <!-- Check with SME what they should do if there are no log files -->
+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:
+
+    ```cli
+    sfc /scannow
+    ```
+
+1. Identify any invalid registry keys under `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog`. Look for keys of type `DWORD` instead of `REG_SZ`. <!-- Ask SME why we are identifying individual keys when we're going to delete all of them in a later step -->
+1. Create a backup of the existing registry keys before making any registry changes, run the following command:
+
+    ```cli
+    reg export "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog" "<Path_To_Store_Backup>/EventLog_Backup.reg"
+    ```
+
+1. Delete the problematic `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog` key by running the following command:
+
+    ```cli
+    reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\EventLog" /f
+    ```
+
+1. Restart your device.
+1. After your device restarts, start the Windows Event Log service by running the following command:
+
+    ```cli
+    NET START EVENTLOG
+    ```
+
+    The Event Log service should now start successfully.
+
+1. Start the SQL Server Agent service by running the following command:
+
+    ```cli
+    NET START SQLSERVERAGENT
+    ```
+
+    The SQL Server Agent service should now start successfully.

support/sql/database-engine/toc.yml

@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ items:
 - name: Startup, shutdown, restart issues (instance or database)
   href: startup-shutdown/toc.yml
 
+- name: SQL Agent (Jobs, Alerts, Operators)
+  items:
+  - name: "Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion"
+    href: agent/error-1053-service-did-not-start-timely.md
+
 - name: SQL Server resource usage (CPU, Memory, Storage) and Configuration
   items: 
   - name: 701 error with large batches
@@ -154,4 +159,4 @@ items:
     href: performance/performance-degradation-misaligned-io-sector-error.md
 
 - name: Security, Encryption, Auditing, Authorization
-  href: security/toc.yml
+  href: security/toc.yml