SQL Server Service Issue (Windows 11)

Question

We are facing an issue where the SQL Server service shows as Running in Windows 11, but the database engine is not responding until we manually restart the SQL service or reboot the machine. This issue is recurring.

Please assist us in identifying the root cause.

Answer 1

Hi @Vishnu Vardhan Reddy Dhadi,

Thanks for sharing the details. Since the SQL Server service shows as Running but the engine isn’t responding until a restart, this usually indicates the process is alive but internally hung or blocked.

To help narrow down the cause, please check the following:

1. SQL Server Error Logs: Look for timeout or I/O warnings around the time the issue occurs.
2. Windows Event Viewer (Application/System): See if there are SQL or disk‑related warnings/errors.
3. Resource Usage: Confirm whether memory, CPU, or worker threads are exhausted when the engine stops responding.
4. Blocking Queries: If possible, run sys.dm_exec_requests to see if queries are stuck in SUSPENDED or BLOCKED state.
5. Disk/Network Health: Validate that the SQL data/log drives are healthy and that TCP/IP connectivity is stable.

Also, please confirm the SQL Server version and cumulative update level, as known hangs have been addressed in recent patches. If antivirus or backup agents are running, try excluding SQL data/log directories to rule out interference.

Sharing the error log snippets or Event Viewer entries will help us identify whether this is resource exhaustion, blocking, or external interference.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/database-engine/startup-shutdown/sql-server-startup-errors

Thanks,

Lakshmi.