FIX: TEXT Operations Can AV During DUMP DATABASE

• Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5

SYMPTOMS

Attempting to dump a database while a dbwritetext, dbmoretext, or WRITETEXT is being executed on one of the tables in the database may cause a handled access violation (AV) followed by a SQL Server hang. A partial dump is created, and the loading header from the dump shows the dumpsize to be 0 (0 pages). It may not be possible to shut down SQL Server under these conditions. In order to restart SQL Server, you may have to restart Windows NT.

WORKAROUND

Schedule database dumps so that they do not execute while applications are using text operations such as dbwritetext, dbmoretext, or WRITETEXT.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server NT version 6.5. The problem does not occur in SQL Server NT version 6.0. This problem has been corrected in U.S. Service Pack 2 for Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5. For more information, contact your primary support provider.

MORE INFORMATION

This behavior can often be seen while dumping the SMS database, because SMS EXECUTIVE continuously uses WRITETEXT on the InstructionData image field in the Jobs table. The WRITETEXT operation does not get reported in the error log, and various data concerning the contents of the process input buffer may be seen, including the following:

1. Missing "The current contents of process' input buffer" in the error log.

3. The current contents of process' input buffer are '[    '.