

It just gives the same “Service specific error occurred” message.

Oh, and just in case the message in Figure 2 raised your hopes, more help is not available by running NET HELPMSG 3547. Neither of these messages helps identify a cause for the startup failure. The first and most obvious symptom will be that the SQL Server service is not running and an error greets your attempts to restart it.Īlternatively, if you tried to start the service from the command prompt… Common Symptoms and Initial Troubleshooting Corrupt or missing model database filesīefore diving into the various possible causes, we’ll start with some basic troubleshooting steps that will help identify the cause.Corrupt or missing master database files.Service account password incorrect or account locked or disabled.It’s a situation that brings immediately to the mind of the DBA images of late nights, lost weekends and cold pizza at 3 a.m.Ī number of problems can prevent the SQL Server service from starting and this article will examine the more common ones and, I hope, offer a way out of the nightmare. The SQL Server service won’t start… cue ominous music.
