SQL Server agent Error

Question

I am in a new shop and the below error started to show up on 2/22 repeatedly until 3/7.

Event Type: Error
Event Source:   SQLSERVERAGENT
Event Category: Alert Engine 
Event ID:   318
Description:
Unable to read local eventlog (reason: The event log file is corrupted).

Event Type: Information
Event Source:   SQLSERVERAGENT
Event Category: Alert Engine 
Event ID:   311
Date:       2/22/2011
Time:       6:52:44 AM
User:       N/A
Computer:   XXXXXXX
Description:
Attempting to re-open the local eventlog...

Event Type: Warning
Event Source:   SQLSERVERAGENT
Event Category: Alert Engine 
Event ID:   312
Description:
Successfully re-opened the local eventlog - NOTE: Some events may have been missed.

Then, the server shut down unexpectedly. The shutdown stopped the events. But, my concerns are: What was happening? Does anyone know what this means? More importantly, what kind of measures do we need to take to prevent this from happening?

Answer 1

Sounds like you've got some sort of corruption problem on the disk which the SQL Agent logs get written to. I'd check the disk for corruption, as well as the C drive in case it's talking about the application log which the SQL Agent also writes to.

Answer 2

Could be nothing important according to KB 811484

However, I'd schedule a chkdsk on that drive on next boot, and makre sure all my backups are in order.