BUG: SNMP Configured Incorrectly When Default SQL Server 2000 Instance Is Not Installed (279870)

SYMPTOMS

When the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) service starts on a system on which SQL Server 2000 is installed, it may log Event 1101 in the System event log. The description reads:

The SNMP Service is ignoring extension agent key SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\SNMP\CurrentVersion because it is missing or misconfigured.

However, the SNMP service still starts.

CAUSE

SNMP can only be used to monitor the default instance of SQL Server. Therefore, if you do not install a default SQL Server 2000 instance (you only install a named instance), the installer does not create the following SNMP registry hierarchy:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\SNMP

This creates a problem when the SNMP service starts because the installer incorrectly inserts a value with the SQL Server SNMP extension agent into the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SNMP\Parameters\ExtensionAgents

WORKAROUND

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

The following workaround only prevents Event 1101 from being raised in the System event log. The workaround does not make it possible to monitor a named instance of SQL Server 2000 with SNMP because, as mentioned earlier, SNMP can only be used to monitor a default instance of SQL Server.

Open Regedt32 and navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SNMP\Parameters\ExtensionAgents
Edit the key, and then delete the value that contains the reference to:
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\SNMP\CurrentVersion