Vista - Windows Event Log Service will not run Error 4201

When I try to start this Service which is set to 'automatic' I get:

"Windows could not start the Windows Event Log service on Local Computer.

Error 4201: The instance name passed was not recognized as valid by a WMI
data provider."

There is a dependency for Messenger Sharing Folders USN Journal Reader
service but that would not start either:

"Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in
a timely fashion."

Messenger Sharing shows a dependency for Windows EventLog so there is a loop
of each one requiring the other to be running.

I have a Dell XPS 400 Pentium D (940) 3.2 GHz 4 Mb RAM running Vista 32-bit
Ultimate version.

Can anyone help with this apparent paradox?

Thank you,

Norman Castel