title: SQL Server Agent will not start - times out
body: <p>On my localhost, I am running 2014 (not express).  I need to create a job, and for that, I need the Agent service to run.  But I can't get it started.</p>
  <p>I have been googling the snot out of this, but so far no luck.</p>
  <p>In the Windows Logs, under System, I have only this:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>The SQL Server Agent (SQL2014) service failed to start due to the following error:
  The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>and</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>A timeout was reached (30000 milliseconds) while waiting for the SQL Server Agent (SQL2014) service to connect.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>and</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>The server {1B1F472E-3221-4826-97DB-2C2324D389AE} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>Not very helpful.  I found the SQLAGENT.OUT file, but there is nothing recent in it.  The last entry is from over a month ago. None the less, this is the contents of the file:</p>
  <pre><code>2017-10-26 15:35:51 - ? [100] Microsoft SQLServerAgent version 12.0.5207.0 (X64 unicode retail build) : Process ID 4980
  2017-10-26 15:35:51 - ? [495] The SQL Server Agent startup service account is NT Service\SQLAgent$SQL2014.
  2017-10-26 15:35:56 - ? [393] Waiting for SQL Server to recover database 'msdb'...
  2017-10-26 15:35:57 - ? [000] 
  2017-10-26 15:35:57 - ? [101] SQL Server EBDEVELOPER\SQL2014 version 12.00.5207 (0 connection limit)
  2017-10-26 15:35:57 - ? [102] SQL Server ODBC driver version 11.00.2100
  2017-10-26 15:35:57 - ? [103] NetLib being used by driver is DBNETLIB; Local host server is EBDEVELOPER\SQL2014
  2017-10-26 15:35:57 - ? [310] 8 processor(s) and 16315 MB RAM detected
  2017-10-26 15:35:57 - ? [339] Local computer is EBDEVELOPER running Windows NT 6.2 (9200) 
  2017-10-26 15:35:57 - ? [432] There are 13 subsystems in the subsystems cache
  2017-10-26 15:35:58 - ? [129] SQLAgent$SQL2014 starting under Windows NT service control
  2017-10-26 15:35:58 - + [475] Database Mail is not enabled for agent notifications.
  2017-10-26 15:35:58 - + [396] An idle CPU condition has not been defined - OnIdle job schedules will have no effect
  2017-10-26 15:37:00 - ! [298] SQLServer Error: 15404, Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user 'xxxxx', error code 0x534. [SQLSTATE 42000] (ConnIsLoginSysAdmin)
  2017-10-26 15:38:00 - ! [298] SQLServer Error: 15404, Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user 'xxxxx', error code 0x534. [SQLSTATE 42000] (ConnIsLoginSysAdmin)
  2017-10-26 15:39:00 - ! [298] SQLServer Error: 15404, Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user 'xxxxx', error code 0x534. [SQLSTATE 42000] (ConnIsLoginSysAdmin)
  2017-10-26 15:40:00 - ! [298] SQLServer Error: 15404, Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user 'xxxxx', error code 0x534. [SQLSTATE 42000] (ConnIsLoginSysAdmin)
  2017-10-26 15:41:00 - ! [298] SQLServer Error: 15404, Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user 'xxxxx', error code 0x534. [SQLSTATE 42000] (ConnIsLoginSysAdmin)
  2017-10-26 15:41:33 - ? [131] SQLAgent$SQL2014 service stopping due to a stop request from a user, process, or the OS...
  2017-10-26 15:41:35 - ? [000] Configuration option 'Agent XPs' changed from 1 to 0. Run the RECONFIGURE statement to install. [SQLSTATE 01000] (Message 15457)
  2017-10-26 15:41:35 - ? [098] SQLServerAgent terminated (normally)
  </code></pre>
  <p>(The <code>xxxxx</code> was the name of the former developer who used to use this laptop.  I am his replacement. For his sake, I removed his name.)</p>
  <p>Following some advice I found on other threads, I ran this against the master database:</p>
  <pre><code>sp_configure 'show advanced options','1'
  RECONFIGURE
  go
  
  sp_configure 'Agent XPs','1'
  RECONFIGURE
  go
  </code></pre>
  <p>It returned this:</p>
  <blockquote>
  <p>Configuration option 'show advanced options' changed from 1 to 1. Run the RECONFIGURE statement to install.</p>
  <p>Configuration option 'Agent XPs' changed from 1 to 1. Run the RECONFIGURE statement to install.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>Service still would not start (although it looks like nothing changed, so I wasn't surprised).</p>
  <p>I've tried to start it from within the normal Windows Services, and from within SQL Server Configuration Manager.</p>
  <p>In the Properties, I have tried to logon as all of the options on the Built-in account dropdown. I've also tried the admin account I use to connect to the DB from within SSMS.</p>
  <p>The service is set to StartType automatic.</p>
  <p>I'm not sure what else to try.  Any suggestions?</p>