BUG: INSERT INTO EXECUTE and Xp_cmdshell May Cause Error 3601

• Microsoft SQL Server, version 6.5

SYMPTOMS

When you use xp_cmdshell to return results through the INSERT INTO EXECUTE Transact-SQL statement, and the results that are returned contain NULL values, and the table definition specifies a NOT NULL constraint, you may receive the following errors:

   Msg 515, Level 16, State 3
   Attempt to insert the value NULL into column 'strInfo', table
   'tempdb.dbo.#tblBugs2___________0000000040';
   column does not allow nulls.  INSERT fails.

   Msg 3601, Level 25, State 1
   Stored function 'xp_cmdshell' in the library 'xpsql60.dll' generated
   access violation; SQL Server is terminating process 10

• You have more than one NULL value in a row being returned.
• The table does not allow NULL values.
• Xp_cmdshell returns the values to an INSERT INTO EXECUTE statement.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.