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I've created a database with tables that heavily leverages nvarchar for most of the columns. One of the challenges I'm running into is that when I go to view the SQL Server Agent Log files, I get the following error noted below. I've been scouring Google and haven't been able to find anything that closely resembles the scenario I'm experiencing. Short of re-installing the entire server (which is really isn't an option at this point), how can I flip some sort of switch to make the log files readable again?

(Sorry don't have enough rep here to post an image. Here's the link to the image.)

https://i.stack.imgur.com/VW7hw.png

Here's the details behind it:

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The log file is not using Unicode format. (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)

For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&ProdVer=11.00.3000&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=22004&LinkId=20476

Server Name: Error Number: 22004 Severity: 16 State: 1

Program Location:

at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action1 wrapCloseInAction) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action1 wrapCloseInAction) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean callerHasConnectionLock, Boolean asyncClose) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.TryRun(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean& dataReady) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.TryConsumeMetaData() at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.get_MetaData() at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.FinishExecuteReader(SqlDataReader ds, RunBehavior runBehavior, String resetOptionsString) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReaderTds(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, Boolean async, Int32 timeout, Task& task, Boolean asyncWrite) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method, TaskCompletionSource`1 completion, Int32 timeout, Task& task, Boolean asyncWrite) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior, String method) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteDbDataReader(CommandBehavior behavior) at System.Data.Common.DbCommand.System.Data.IDbCommand.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior behavior) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.LogSourceSqlAgent.InitializeInternal() at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.LogSourceSqlAgent.Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.ILogSource.Initialize() at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.LogSourceAggregation.Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.ILogSource.Initialize()

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4
  • 1
    You may have the option "Write OEM file" enabled in your SQL Server Agent properties. Not sure, but can be something to check.
    – spaghettidba
    Feb 8, 2013 at 9:22
  • It is enabled but it's a greyed out box that's checked.
    – Techie Joe
    Feb 8, 2013 at 15:19
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    Where are you seeing it? In the individual file or in the SQL Server Agent properties window? You should be able to change it in the latter.
    – spaghettidba
    Feb 8, 2013 at 15:42
  • My Bad. I missed it and did indeed uncheck the correct box. Everything works as it's supposed to now. Thanks!
    – Techie Joe
    Feb 8, 2013 at 16:01

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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@spaghettidba's solution worked for this matter. By unchecking the 'Write OEM error log' check box (cycled the server as well) by right clicking 'Error Logs' under (servername) -> SQL Server Agent -> Error Logs (in the SQL Server Management Studio) the logs started writing and were readable again.

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5
  • I'm curious -- how was this setting enabled in the first place? As far as I can tell, it's not turned on by default.
    – Jon Seigel
    Feb 8, 2013 at 16:15
  • I didn't touch any of these settings out of the box. The only things I modified were settings to add a certificate for server/client encryption to/from box. That's it.
    – Techie Joe
    Feb 8, 2013 at 16:25
  • Interesting. Was the install done on a non-English/US Windows instance, and what was the database engine collation set to?
    – Jon Seigel
    Feb 8, 2013 at 17:21
  • It's a standard US version of Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise. The Collation (again, out of the box) is set to 'SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS'.
    – Techie Joe
    Feb 8, 2013 at 18:06
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    Totally bizarre. If you use a standard set of server setup scripts, it might be a good idea to explicitly disable this option just in case.
    – Jon Seigel
    Feb 8, 2013 at 19:05

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