FIX: Character Mode BCP Causes a Memory Leak in SQL Executive

• Microsoft SQL Server, version 6.5

SYMPTOMS

Character mode bulk copy program (BCP) replication synchronization causes a memory leak in SQL Executive.

The amount of memory leaked builds up each time a BCP character mode job is run by the distribution task. Once the system becomes sufficiently low on memory, the distribution task may fail or stop responding. If the task fails, it will return the error "Failed to allocate memory" to the task history. If the distribution task stops responding, it will be listed in the Sysprocesses table as a sleeping process with the command "select * from <table_name>."

Other possible symptoms include SQL Executive unhandled exception errors and other SQL Executive memory allocation failures.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the native mode BCP for either automatic synchronization or manual synchronization.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5. 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

The BCP synchronization mode can be selected when you define a publication. Native mode synchronization (the default) can only be used when replicating to a SQL Server 6.0 or 6.5 subscriber which is running on the same hardware architecture as the publisher.

Use manual synchronization when replicating to an open Database Connectivity (ODBC) subscriber such as Microsoft Access or Oracle, or when replicating to a subscriber which is running on a different hardware architecture than the publisher (for example, when replicating from a publisher on an Intel computer to a subscriber on an Alpha computer). Refer to the SQL Server Administrator's Companion for details on how to do manual synchronization.