BUG: sp_dropuser Fails to Drop a User Who Is Also a dbo

• Microsoft SQL Server version 4.2a for OS/2

SYMPTOMS

The system stored procedure sp_dropuser does not drop a user in the current database if the user's login happens to be a dbo in other databases, even if the user is only a regular user in the current database.

Consider the following scenarios:

Assume you have two databases A and B, and a login name Joe. Joe is a regular user in database A, named Joe_A. Joe is also a dbo in database B. When the dbo in database A tries to drop Joe_A using sp_dropuser, the following error from the stored procedure will result:

   You can't drop a database owner.

CAUSE

SQL Server incorrectly checks the conditions in the system stored procedure sp_dropuser. The code for this system procedure checks if the user to be dropped is a dbo using the following query:

   If exists (select * from sysdatabases
         where suid = @suid)
   begin
     print ("You can't drop a database owner")
     return(1)
   end

The correct condition should be:

   if @uid = 1
   begin
     print(......)
     return(1)
   end

WORKAROUND

Temporarily change the dbo in the other database to a different login name other than the user to be dropped.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SQL Server version 4.2a for OS/2. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.