BUG: Tape Problem Results in Access Violation with Alt/Cr DB

ID: Q113516

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SQL Server version 4.2x

BUG# NT: 714 (4.21)

SYMPTOMS

The client thread in the process of creating or altering a database may terminate due to an access violation when there have been prior problems with a SQL Server tape dump device.

CAUSE

Scheduled Database/Log tape dumps can be conveniently scheduled using SQL Administrator. SQL Monitor actually manages the process by reading the information that it inserted into Msscheduled_backups via SQL Administrator.

Additional settings for SQL Monitor are listed in the SQL Server "Configuration Guide" on pages 132-134. One setting in particular to note is the BackupRetryAttempts that is documented in the 4.21 Release Notes.

The default for BackupRetryAttempts is 3. When there is a problem with the tape or tape device, SQL Monitor will try up to 3 times to execute the dump to tape. The retry attempt is indicated by the following message displayed in the error log:

94/03/24 04:30:00 kernel ksconsole: Reinitializing the console

This message is notification by SQL Server that it is going to reinitialize the console program used to manage tape activity. When three or more occurrences of this message are present in the error log, subsequent CREATE DATABASE or ALTER DATABASE statements initiated by a client thread may result in the termination of that thread due to an access violation. When the access violation occurs, the following error will be displayed in the SQL Server error log:

94/03/24 04:30:00 server Error : 0, Severity: 19, State: 0
94/03/24 04:30:00 server language_exec: Process (number) generated
access violation; SQL Server is terminating this process.

Few immediate problems result from this error; however, it is recommended that SQL Server be shutdown or restarted, and the situation be corrected (see the workaround below).

Shutdown of the system may prove difficult after this error has occurred. The first attempt should be made by using the SQL Service Manager, then if that fails, using NET STOP SQLSERVER, and finally, from ISQL, use "shutdown with nowait."

WORKAROUND

This problem has typically occurred when a tape has been ejected before or not been placed in the tape drive prior to a scheduled tape dump. Avoid this situation by monitoring the error log and the backup history available through SQL Administrator.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server version 4.21. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: Windows NT

Keywords : kbother kbbug4.21 SSrvWinNT
Version : 4.21
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :