Sql-server – How to know who restarted and what caused SQL Server

I know of one other thing that you can try. It affects SQL Server 2005 specifically, but might also be useful in your scenario. Essentially, the wmiprvse.exe executable runs under the context of NETWORK SERVICE. SSCM loads the Sqlmgmprovider.dll into this executable under the same security context. Ensure that NETWORK SERVICE has READ permissions to the SQL Services in question.

The steps needed to accomplish this are detailed in the Microsoft Support Article:

Some or all SQL Server 2005 services are not listed in SQL Server Configuration Manager, or you receive a "No SQL Server 2005 components were found" error message when you perform operations in SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration.

To do this in a standalone environment is a bit trickier. Let's try this with SQL Browser first:

1. Open cmd.exe as an administrator.
2. Type the following command: sc <server_name> sdshow <service_name>
3. Copy the string returned to your favorite notepad clone, we will need this string to revert back to prior configuration if this does not work. This is our SDDL string. The next step will be our concatenated SDDL string.
4. Add the following to the end of the string: (A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;NS)
5. Type the following command: sc <server_name> sdset <service_name> <concatenated_SDDL_string>
6. Open SSCM and see if SQL Browser displays as expected.

The two commands run should look something like this:

sc \\my-server sdshow SQLBrowser

sc \\my-server sdset SQLBrowser D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;NS)

Note: This will not limit what gets logged. It justs stops logging in Windows Event log.

There are some stuff that you can prevent like - successful completion of log backups using Trace Flag 3226

Have a look at -n startup parameter.

From Database Engine Service Startup Options :

Does not use the Windows application log to record SQL Server events. If you start an instance of SQL Server with -n, we recommend that you also use the -e startup option. Otherwise, SQL Server events are not logged.