SQL Server Agent would not start in my lab: Failed to initialize SQL Agent log (reason: Access is denied). Here is what I found in the log folder and the fix.
Upgrading Subscription Settings and System Objects Error in SQL Server Upgrade
Upgrading subscription settings is an upgrade step, and in this 2018 client case it failed on a missing replication table. This post shows tested queries for replication flags and the Distributor, how the Msg 208 for the missing table looks, and what the original fix with sp_removedbreplication did and did not touch.
SQL SERVER – Unable to Failover SQL Server Instance – Error: Registry Information is Corrupt or Missing
A client could not failover SQL Server to another node: registry information is corrupt or missing. Here is how I found the right error in the logs.
How to Write Errors in Error Log? – Interview Question of the Week #175
How to write errors in Error Log? A customer asked this in my performance tuning workshop, and here is how to add your own messages to the SQL Server log.
Recovery Pending State in SQL Server: Find Why Databases Go There at Random
A Recovery Pending state means SQL Server could not finish opening a database, most often because it could not open a file. I reproduced two file errors on SQL Server 2025, show what each leaves in the error log, and explain how AUTO_CLOSE and antivirus scanning caused one client case.
SQL SERVER – Service Pack Failure: MissingRegistryKeyException. The Registry Key is Missing
A reader hit MissingRegistryKeyException during a service pack, but my earlier fix did not help. Here is another cause of the missing registry key and the fix.
SQL SERVER – Installation Wizard Hang Forever – Please Wait on Feature Selection Page
Adding Analysis Services to SQL Server 2014, the Installation Wizard hung on “Please Wait” at feature selection, even after my lunch. Here is what fixed it.