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 Support stops for SP3a

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cgunner
Yak Posting Veteran

95 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 14:32:30
Since support stops for SP3a July 2006, I would like to know what Microsoft is doing about issues with SP4.

Paul Randal any thoughts?

eyechart
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

3575 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 15:22:23
I have not read where support for SP3a stops. Do you have a link you can share?



-ec
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cgunner
Yak Posting Veteran

95 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 15:25:50
We were told by Microsoft that they would no longer support.
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eyechart
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

3575 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 15:26:35
quote:
Originally posted by eyechart

I have not read where support for SP3a stops. Do you have a link you can share?



I googled and found it


http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifesupsps#Servers



-ec
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cgunner
Yak Posting Veteran

95 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 15:35:15
11-Jul-2006 is the magic date. How can they push people off of 3a since it staple to something that should not have made it out the door? Is this a ploy to push people to SQL 2005?
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robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 16:22:58
What specific issues are you having with SP4? Have you tested it in your environment yet?
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MichaelP
Jedi Yak

2489 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 16:48:54
After all of the performance issues people have experienced with SP4, I'm not sure I'd want to move away from SP4.

Michael

<Yoda>Use the Search page you must. Find the answer you will. Cursors, path to the Dark Side they are. Avoid them, you must. Use Order By NewID() to get a random record you will.</Yoda>

Opinions expressed in this post are not necessarily those of TeleVox Software, inc. All information is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.
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jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 21:33:16
we've been on it for months and there are no issues so far

--------------------
keeping it simple...
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scullee
Posting Yak Master

103 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-25 : 23:42:38
The only performance issue with SP4 that i have had was the problem with explicit type conversions. That can be fixed with either a flag on startup or fixing the actual code to explicitly do the cast.
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cgunner
Yak Posting Veteran

95 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 08:34:40
The very first experience I had with this service pack. I was installing on a stand alone with 8gig of RAM. I thought every thing was OK but when I checked the consumption of RAM by SQL it wasn't going over 4gig. It took a couple of months to get the AWE hotfix out. WHY did that not get caught before release?

The issue we are having now is trying to get it installed into a cluster. If the cluster is not perfect, we have a message box stating, "Setup failed to perform required operations on the cluster nodes." You click OK. The install stops and SQL is dead.

Once we due get it installed, Microsoft recommends certain trace flags i.e. T888 (enables locked pages for Buffers) suppose to reduce System CPU utilization. It does the opposite. It MAX's them.


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robvolk
Most Valuable Yak

15732 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 08:38:27
Have you opened a support incident with Microsoft? The PSS group may already have a solution, including new hotfixes.
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cgunner
Yak Posting Veteran

95 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 08:55:31
We have opened a case about the cluster install. I am going to have to open another about the trace flag. I am just wondering if anyone else is having issues with this SP. I just don't want this to get into production and than have to do an emergency rebuild.
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franco
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

255 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 09:12:30
I have just posted my problems with "installing sp4 on cluster" here:
http://www.sqlteam.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=66773.
Regarding your problem "Setup failed to perform required operations on the cluster nodes" there is a Hotfix here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914839/en-us
but as you can see you have to call Microsoft to have this Fix.
My problem still remain, I am not able to install SP4 on my cluster because i have this "buffer overrun" error.
Any clue?

Franco
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cgunner
Yak Posting Veteran

95 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 09:25:15
Thanks Franco for the link. In regard to your install issue, we were given this process to follow. If it is followed, we have been able to install the SP without problem.



Some of the steps contained in this document are specific to clustered or 64-bit installations and can be safely skipped
if they do not apply. Per the sections on checking registry permissions or existence of registry keys these values may
not exist on all systems, if your system does not have the registry entry move to the next step. If a Microsoft Failover
Cluster Instance these steps must be completed on all nodes or the process will be invalidated.

Unless working on a Windows 2003 server regedt32 should be used in place of regedit in order to correctly view the registry
values

Verify your system meets the minimum requirements
====================================================
Please do read through the KB article listed below appropriate to your installation, failure to do so in the case of a
upgrade can result in outages which can be catastrophic.

813953 INF: SQL Server 2000 64-Bit Readme.htm Additions
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;813953

910228 SQL Server 2005 Readme and installation requirements
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;910228

907284 Changes to the readme file for SQL Server 2005
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;907284

SQL Server Node Preparations
=============================
1) SQL Server 2000:
Logon to the machine you will be starting SQL Server setup on as the SQL Server service account, if a
cluster this machine must be in control of the cluster disk(s). If connected through TS or RDP connection and cluster
disks were moved logoff the server and back on again.


This account should be a direct member of the local administrators group and been granted the following
permissions:
• Act as Part of the Operating System = SeTcbPrivilege
• Bypass Traverse Checking = SeChangeNotify
• Lock Pages In Memory = SeLockMemory
• Log on as a Batch Job = SeBatchLogonRight
• Log on as a Service = SeServiceLogonRight
• Replace a Process Level Token = SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege

SQL Server 2005:
Logon to the machine you will be starting SQL Server setup on as a domain user that is also local
administrator granted the same additional permissions of:

• Act as Part of the Operating System = SeTcbPrivilege
• Bypass Traverse Checking = SeChangeNotify
• Lock Pages In Memory = SeLockMemory
• Log on as a Batch Job = SeBatchLogonRight
• Log on as a Service = SeServiceLogonRight
• Replace a Process Level Token = SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege


2) Locate the following registry HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager

In the right-hand pane, is there a value of PendingFileRenameOperations?
If so is it empty?
If empty close the registry editor, if not empty this machine will need to be rebooted prior to running setup and this
registry value re-checked.


3) Verify cluster networking was setup per:

258750 Recommended private "Heartbeat" configuration on a cluster server
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=258750 This needs to be followed explicitly in regards to the binding orders and your
heartbeat adapter's configuration.


4) On the server or if clustered on all nodes stop the services again except for:
Alerter
Cluster Service
Computer Browser
DHCP Client
Distributed File System
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Distributed Link Tracking Server
DNS Client
Event Log
IPSEC Policy Agent
License Logging Service
Logical Disk Manager
Messenger
Net Logon
Network Connectors
NTLM Security Support Provider
Plug and Play
Process Control
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Service
Remote Registry Service <==========this must be running on all nodes
Removable Storage
Security Accounts Manager
Server
Spooler
Task Scheduler <==========this must be running on all nodes
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Telephony
Time Service
Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions
Windows Time Service
Workstation

NOTE Leave any services required by SAN or network adapters online

5) Delete all contents including sub-directories from %profile%\local settings\temp on all nodes
6) 64 bit installs should have the temp redirected to c:\temp, delete all contents of this directory also.
7) Delete all contents including sub-directories from %systemroot%\temp on all nodes
8) Delete %systemroot%\sql*.log from all nodes
9) Delete %systemroot%\*.iss from only this directory on all nodes
10) Delete any %systemroot%\sqlserver.mif or %systemroot%\sql.mif files found on any node
11) Delete all contents from
<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG &
<drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Files


12) Delete this registry key if foundcalm\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Need_SP_Key

NOTE: If this is a new install and no SQL Server instances are installed delete:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLSERVER

And your

<Drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server Directory structure

If this notes actions were completed jump to step 14


11) Exit the SQL Service Manager from systray on all nodes if running

Note not all of these registry entries if any may exist depending on your particular conditions, this is ok, steps 12 - 12
are only of a concern if the registry keys exist.


12) Check the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\<instance_name>\MSSQLServer\SuperSocketNetLib\ for a named
instance or for SQL Server 2005 installations:

Check HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSQL.<x>>\MSSQLServer\SuperSocketNetLib
Check HKLM\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\SuperSocketNetLib
If a LPC key exists delete it, if unable go into permissions\advanced and enable "inherit permissions..." and retry.
If still unable to dlete it check the permissions on the SuperSocketNetLib key. If it has the "Allow Inheritable permissions ..." unchecked, then check allow Inheritable permissions ..."


13) Verify the PipeName on Failover Cluster instances where values for,

Named Instance = HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\<InstanceName>\MSSQLServer\SuperSocketNetLib\Np\PipeName
REG_SZ value = \\.\pipe\$$\<Virtual_server_name>\MSSQL$<instance_name>\sql\query

Default Instance = HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\SuperSocketNetLib\Np\PipeName
REG_SZ value = \\.\pipe\$$\<Virtual_server_name>\sql\query


14) Open a command prompt and enter the following two commands:

Ipconfig /flushdns

Then

Nbtstat -RR


15) Open a command window which should show you in your profile directory, at the command prompt enter DIR /X both long
and 8.3 names should be returned. If no 8.3 naming is returned you will need to edit the following registry key:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\FileSystem\Ntfs\Disable8dot3NameCreation

NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation value must be set to 0 for 8.3 name creation.
If you had to enable this logon to the machine with another Administrators login and delete your user directory found under
C:\Documents and Settings then login with this account an repeat step 15, the 8.3 names should now appear


16) If installing to a default instance of SQL Server verify the following registry keys value is the local path not a UNC
path or that registry entry is not found:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLSERVER\ImagePath
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SQLSERVERAGENT\ImagePath


17) Open a command prompt on each node and enter the command "set logonserver" without the quotes, note the server name
returned. Is the same name returned by all nodes? If not please make note of this. Now enter the command
"net time %logonserver% /SET" without the quotes, if multiple server names were returned choose one and replace the
%LOGONSERVER% with \\Actual_Server_Name.

Example using %LOGONSERVER%:

C:\Documents and Settings\user>set logonserver
LOGONSERVER=\\MyDC

C:\Documents and Settings\user>net time %logonserver% /SET
Current time at \\mydc is 4/3/2006 10:40 AM

The current local clock is 4/3/2006 10:40 AM
Do you want to set the local computer's time to match the time at \\MYDC? (Y/N) [Y]: y
The command completed successfully.

Example using %LOGONSERVER%:

C:\Documents and Settings\user>set logonserver
LOGONSERVER=\\MyDC

C:\Documents and Settings\user>net time \\mydc /SET
Current time at \\mydc is 4/3/2006 10:40 AM

The current local clock is 4/3/2006 10:40 AM
Do you want to set the local computer's time to match the time at \\mydc? (Y/N) [Y]: y
The command completed successfully.

If a Failover Clustered Instance this procedure must be completed on ALL cluster nodes

18) On all nodes but the one you are starting setup from open Terminal services manager and verify absolutely know one else
is connected to the node, then logout. Verify the same on the node where you are starting setup only instead of logging out
start your SQL installation.


If installation was to a clustered instance you should test failover to all possible hosting nodes once your installation
completes. Note Steps 3, 10-13 and 16 steps only apply to clustered installations. For Failover Cluster Instances these
steps must be performed on all nodes.

Special additional steps that must be used during 64-bit SQL Server setups
===========================================================================
Add the following to the pre-installation process:

1) Set both the tmp and temp variables to a path that does not have a space in it, e.g. C:\TEMP. This must be done for
both the installers user and the system variables. If a cluster, this change must be made on all nodes. Refer to 889541
"The TEMP or the TMP environment variable setting may cause an unsuccessful installation of SQL Server 2000 64-bit
"http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;889541

2) The scheduler service to the set of services that must be running as noted above in the list of services to be left
running. If a cluster, this must be done on all nodes. Refer to KB articles 910851 "You receive error messages when you
try to set up a clustered instance of SQL Server 2005" http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;910851

3) Verify the path and availability of original install media via registry key
HKLM\Software\Classes\Installer\guid\SourceList\LastUsedSource this path must exist and be accessible to the originial
installation media. If a cluster, all nodes must have this path available with the original installation media.

































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franco
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

255 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 09:38:32
WoW!There is a lot here!
Thank you very much for sharing.
Do you have all this from Microsoft?

Franco
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cgunner
Yak Posting Veteran

95 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 09:47:34
Your welcome. This is from Microsoft. It seems to work but it is a shame that you have to go threw all of this to get it to work.
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franco
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

255 Posts

Posted - 2006-05-26 : 09:52:14
I agree with you completely.It's a shame!
Just to let you know I have another possible solution here from another forum:

Franco,
Does your SQL Resource Group contain an MSDTC resource? I have seen error when installing SQL SP4 on an instance of SQL that contains the MSDTC resource. Moving the resource to another group allowed the installation to succeed.

Also Microsoft has an updated SP4 file that addressess the same error. I came accross this in a newsgroup:

This is their (Microsoft) explanation of the problem
==============================
Inside CPgMach::CheckVersionForVS we have a 20 character buffer to hold the instance name.
We call CClst::EnumInstancesFromVirtualServer to populate the instance name.
The problem is that inside this function we loop on ClusterResourceEnum and call ClusterResourceGetParameter on the instance name. If one instance is found we are fine. If multiple are found we concatenate them separated by ','.
Which means that if we have two instances of 16 characters this code will overflow.
Now the reason this has never crashed is that the instance buffer is
followed by a 256 character buffer to contain the owner which isn't used until after the overflow. My guess is that the way the buffers are being used is allowing the code to proceed without hitting a hard corruption
I'll send you the private build of SQLsui.dll development created through the Secure FTP site for download
To test if this fix solves the problem
-Copy the service pack4 files on a local directory
-Replace the SQLsui.dll with the one downloaded
-Run setup once again
-Let us know the results from testing

Hope this helps!
-CT

Please be aware the private fixed version of SQLsui.dll is an un optimized version of the dll and is intended for testing purpose only.
If you confirm this version to fix the problem a public optimized version will be build.
end.

I 'll let you know.
Cheers.


Franco
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franco
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

255 Posts

Posted - 2006-06-01 : 02:35:24
Remove MSDTC Resource from SQL Sever Group was the solution.
SP4 was then succesfully installed.
Thank you for your reply and support.

Franco
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