PRB: High Column of the Sysdevices Table Used for Dump Devices

ID Number: Q75548

1.10 1.11 4.20

OS/2

docerr

Summary:

SYMPTOMS

On page 243 (page 268 for SQL Server version 4.2) of the "Microsoft

SQL Server System Administrator's Guide" and page 369 (page 504 for

SQL Server 4.2) of the "Microsoft SQL Server Language Reference,"

it is stated that the low and high columns in the sysdevices table

are not used for dump devices. However, examining the sysdevices

table reveals otherwise for floppy disk dump devices.

CAUSE

When creating floppy disk dump devices using sp_addumpdevice, the

"media_capacity" parameter is divided by 62K and the result is

placed in the high column in the sysdevices table. For example, if

the default size for disk devices is used, the value 19 is placed

in the high column of the sysdevices table (that is, 1.2 MB divided

by 62K). Sp_helpdevice depends on this value to calculate the size

of the floppy disk dump device for the description column of its

output.

Additional reference words: 1.10 1.11 4.20