...
# now open the errorlog file for scan
unless (open(LOG, "$sqlErrorlog")) {
        $ref->{log_open_error} = "***Error: could not open $sqlErrorlog for read. ";
        $ref->{log_open_error} .= Win32::FormatMessage(Win32::GetLastError);
        return $ref;
}
print "Error: $ref->{log_open_error}\n";
print "$sqlErrorlog\n";
# get the very first errorlog line. It has the version info.
$_ = <LOG>;
print "$_\n";
if (/^\s*([\d\/\-]+\s+[\d\:\.]+)\s+(?:kernel|Server|spid\d+)\s+(Microsoft\s+SQL\s+Server.+)/i) {
          ($ref->{first_recorded_date}, $ref->{sql_version}) = ($1, $2);
print " DT: $ref->{first_recorded_date}\n";
print " Version: $2\n";
    }