cannot open or create sql agent alerts

Question

cannot open or create sql agent alerts

Charles Burschtin 0

When I try opening an existing alert in SSMS (SQL Agent - Alerts) or create a new alert, I receive the following error:

User's image

The Show details button contains the following:

===================================

Cannot show requested dialog.

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Cannot show requested dialog. (SqlMgmt)

Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.DefaultLaunchFormHostedControlAllocator.AllocateDialog(XmlDocument initializationXml, IServiceProvider dialogServiceProvider, CDataContainer dc)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.DefaultLaunchFormHostedControlAllocator.Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ILaunchFormHostedControlAllocator.CreateDialog(XmlDocument initializationXml, IServiceProvider dialogServiceProvider)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.LaunchForm.InitializeForm(XmlDocument doc, IServiceProvider provider, ISqlControlCollection control)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.LaunchForm..ctor(XmlDocument doc, IServiceProvider provider)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.UI.VSIntegration.ObjectExplorer.ToolMenuItemHelper.OnCreateAndShowForm(IServiceProvider sp, XmlDocument doc)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.RunningFormsTable.RunningFormsTableImpl.ThreadStarter.StartThread()

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Failed to create/initialize Agent Alert dialog. (SqlManagerUI)

Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AgentAlert..ctor(CDataContainer dataContainer)

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Cannot create/initialize Response page. (SqlManagerUI)

Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AgentAlert.AddResponsePage()

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AgentAlert..ctor(CDataContainer dataContainer)

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Object reference not set to an instance of an object. (SqlManagerUI)

Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AgentAlertResponse.RefreshJobComboBoxAndSelectJob(Job currentJob)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AgentAlertResponse.RefreshJobComboBox()

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AgentAlertResponse..ctor(CDataContainer dataContainer, String agentAlertName)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AgentAlert.AddResponsePage()

I need to create new SQL Agent Alerts and modify a few existing alerts but everything that I already tried did not work. The MSDB database seems to be ok, and I also checked VSS.

Has anyone experienced this issue, and was able to find a solution?

Thank you.

Erland Sommarskog 133.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-24T22:08:15.2666667+00:00

Which version of SSMS are you using (Help->About)

What does "SELECT @@version" report for your SQL Server instance?
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T22:12:06.0166667+00:00

SSMS 20.2.1

Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (RTM-CU26) (KB5035123) - 15.0.4365.2 (X64) Enterprise Edition on Windows Server 2019 Datacenter

I already ruled out that this issue is not related to the version of SSMS. Thank you
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T22:19:58.4666667+00:00

I have several SQL servers, all the same version and build number. If I login to any server, run SSMS and connect to all the servers, I am able to see Alerts for all except the one I am having issues with. It does not matter whether I run SSRS and connect to the server locally or via the network from a different server; I get the same error.
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T22:22:27.6166667+00:00

I already ran profiler and it did not capture anything relevant to this issue.
Erland Sommarskog 133.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-24T22:22:58.4933333+00:00

I have several SQL servers, all the same version and build number. If I login to any server, run SSMS and connect to all the servers, I am able to see Alerts for all except the one I am having issues with. It does not matter whether I run SSRS and connect to the server locally or via the network from a different server; I get the same error.

In that case, you should definitely trace with Profiler and run the call manually to see what happens, and compare the output between servers.
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T23:20:01.01+00:00

It does not make it that far for profiler to capture anything...it is very weird. I am wondering if the issue relates to WMI as Alerts are different than Operators and Jobs and they interface with the SQL Server WMI Provider Managed Object Format (MOF) file. Perhaps I need to recompile.
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-25T15:26:04.82+00:00

You were right! I installed SSMS 22 and now I can see the Alerts. Thank you.
Erland Sommarskog 133.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-25T21:39:47.3233333+00:00

That's great to hear! I've converted the comment where I recommended trying SSMS 22 to an Answer in case you would like to accept it.

I agree it is a little weird that you only saw this error with one server. But maybe that server returned something odd which SSMS 20 did not cope with, but which have been fixed in SSMS 22.

You mentioned WMI alerts, so this happened with WMI alerts and not normal SQL alerts?
Akhil Gajavelly 1,570 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-09T05:02:23.1966667+00:00

Hi @Charles Burschtin ,

Thank you for the update and for converting your recommendation into an answer.

The @Erland Sommarskog suggestion to try SSMS 22 and the clarification regarding WMI alerts vs. standard SQL alerts should help narrow down the behavior you observed with that specific server.

If this resolved your issue, please consider accepting the posted answer so it can help other community members facing a similar situation. If you still need assistance, feel free to share additional details and the community will be happy to help.

Thanks,
Akhil.

1 answer

Your answer

Erland Sommarskog 133.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-24T22:08:15.2666667+00:00

Which version of SSMS are you using (Help->About)

What does "SELECT @@version" report for your SQL Server instance?
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T22:12:06.0166667+00:00

SSMS 20.2.1

Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (RTM-CU26) (KB5035123) - 15.0.4365.2 (X64) Enterprise Edition on Windows Server 2019 Datacenter

I already ruled out that this issue is not related to the version of SSMS. Thank you
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T22:19:58.4666667+00:00

I have several SQL servers, all the same version and build number. If I login to any server, run SSMS and connect to all the servers, I am able to see Alerts for all except the one I am having issues with. It does not matter whether I run SSRS and connect to the server locally or via the network from a different server; I get the same error.
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T22:22:27.6166667+00:00

I already ran profiler and it did not capture anything relevant to this issue.
Erland Sommarskog 133.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-24T22:22:58.4933333+00:00

I have several SQL servers, all the same version and build number. If I login to any server, run SSMS and connect to all the servers, I am able to see Alerts for all except the one I am having issues with. It does not matter whether I run SSRS and connect to the server locally or via the network from a different server; I get the same error.

In that case, you should definitely trace with Profiler and run the call manually to see what happens, and compare the output between servers.
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T23:20:01.01+00:00

It does not make it that far for profiler to capture anything...it is very weird. I am wondering if the issue relates to WMI as Alerts are different than Operators and Jobs and they interface with the SQL Server WMI Provider Managed Object Format (MOF) file. Perhaps I need to recompile.
Charles Burschtin 0 Reputation points

2026-02-25T15:26:04.82+00:00

You were right! I installed SSMS 22 and now I can see the Alerts. Thank you.
Erland Sommarskog 133.2K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-02-25T21:39:47.3233333+00:00

That's great to hear! I've converted the comment where I recommended trying SSMS 22 to an Answer in case you would like to accept it.

I agree it is a little weird that you only saw this error with one server. But maybe that server returned something odd which SSMS 20 did not cope with, but which have been fixed in SSMS 22.

You mentioned WMI alerts, so this happened with WMI alerts and not normal SQL alerts?
Akhil Gajavelly 1,570 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-09T05:02:23.1966667+00:00

Hi @Charles Burschtin ,

Thank you for the update and for converting your recommendation into an answer.

The @Erland Sommarskog suggestion to try SSMS 22 and the clarification regarding WMI alerts vs. standard SQL alerts should help narrow down the behavior you observed with that specific server.

If this resolved your issue, please consider accepting the posted answer so it can help other community members facing a similar situation. If you still need assistance, feel free to share additional details and the community will be happy to help.

Thanks,
Akhil.

Answer 1

Erland Sommarskog 133.2K MVP Volunteer Moderator

Did you try with SSMS 22? I ask, because my interpretation of the error is that something might be broken with your installation. Since new major versions of SSMS installs side by side, chances are that a new installation of SSMS will work correctly.

For what it's worth, I am able to create and view alerts on my SQL 2019 instance with both SSMS 22 and SSMS 20.2.

If you get the same error with SSMS 22, I would use Profiler and trace the calls that SSMS emits and then run them manually to see if emit something funky.

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cannot open or create sql agent alerts

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