PRB: SQL Server Agent May Report Event ID: 318 Error After an Application Generates an Unhandled Exception Error with Dr. Watson as the Default Debugger (811484)

SYMPTOMS

When you set Dr. Watson as the default debugger, a SQLSERVERAGENT error with Event id: 318 may
appear in Event Viewer immediately after an application generates an "unhandled exception" error.

For example, you might see messages similar to these in the Event Viewer Application log:

Source: SQLSERVERAGENT
Category: Alert Engine
Event ID: 318
Description: Unable to read local eventlog (reason: The data area passed to a system call is too small)

Source: DrWatson
Category: None
Event Id: 4097
Description: The application, C:\Program Files\<Application name> generated an application error. The error occurred on 12/21/2002 @ 00:21:09.282 The exception generated was c0000005 at address 10006045 (HTMLEdit)

CAUSE

The SQLSERVERAGENT error Event id: 318 is a result of an unhandled exception raised by another
application that runs on the same computer as SQL Server. SQL Server Agent reads the
application event log to respond to SQL Server events defined in the SQL Server Agent alert.
Dr. Watson handles the "unhandled exception" and records the error information raised by
the application in the Windows Application log. SQL Server Agent reads the error entry
from the Windows application log and generates error Event id: 318.

MORE INFORMATION

You can ignore the SQL Server Agent error Event id: 318. The error occurs because of another application
failure that is running on the same computer where SQL Server is running. To prevent the error,
troubleshoot and resolve the application error that is raised by the other application.