XADM: JET Asserts on Heavily Used Multivalued Columns in the DS

• Microsoft Exchange Server, version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When performing an operation in the directory (for example, adding connectors, setting up replication, and so on) the JET may produce an assertion (if running the debug build of Edb.dll) or possibly Dr. Watson (if running the retail version). The assertion looks similar to the following:

   Jet Assertion Failure
   Rel. 1416.0, File bm.c, Line 1218
   (pfucbldx->ssib.pbf)->cWaitLatch > 0 && (pfucbldx->ssi.pbf)->cPin > 0 &&
   (pfucbldx0>ssib.pbf)->ppibWaitLatch == (pbmfix->ppib)
   PID: 416, TID: 224

CAUSE

During the expunge of a back link, JET deletes the old index item and inserts another. While inserting another item, it causes another split on the index and a move of some items also belonging to this cleanup. Because the new page is not wait latched, it asserts. This happens only on indexes of multivalue columns that the DS just added and uses heavily.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, obtain the hotfix mentioned below. With the hotfix, JET aborts the cleanup (expunging) and retries it when it realizes that some items were moved.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange Server version 4.0. This problem was corrected in the latest Microsoft Exchange 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the service pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K

Keywords          : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp4 XADM kbusage
Version           : 4.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix