FIX: You may receive a 547 error message when you try to update an instance and application databases of SQL Server 2000 Notification Services by using the NSControl Update command (870654)

SYMPTOMS

When you use the NSControl Update command to try to update an instance of Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Notification Services and the application databases for an existing instance of Notification Services, the update operations may not be completed successfully. You may receive a 547 error message that is similar to the following:

The distributor could not be deleted.
InstanceName: Instance_name
ApplicationName: Application_name
StoredProcedureName: NSDeleteDistributor
SqlServerError:
Error Number: 0
Source: .Net SqlClient Data Provider
Number: 547
State: 0
Class: 16
Server: Server_name
Message: DELETE statement conflicted with COLUMN REFERENCE constraint 'Foreign_key_constraint_name'. The conflict occurred in database 'Database_name', able 'NSDistributorWorkItems', column 'DistributorId'.

Procedure: NSDeleteDistributor
Line Number: 4
Error Number: 1
Source: .Net SqlClient Data Provider
Number: 3621
State: 0
Class: 0
Server: Server_name
Message: The statement has been terminated.

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

The NSControl Update command tries to re-create a distributor in the NSDistributors table.
The NSDistributors table contains rows that are related to the rows in the NSDistributorWorkItems table.

CAUSE

The DistributorId column in the NSDistributorWorkItems table is a foreign key column that links to the DistributorId primary key column in the NSDistributors table. To re-create a distributor, the NSControl Update command tries to delete the distributor from the NSDistributors table that has related rows in the NSDistributorWorkItems table. Therefore, the NSControl Update command violates the foreign key constraint that is defined on the NSDistributorWorkItems table and the NSDistributors table, and you notice the behavior that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

RESOLUTION

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next SQL Server 2000 Notification Services service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

   Date         Time   Version     Size       File name      
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   30-Jun-2004  16:33  2.0.3008.2  2,101,248  Microsoft.sqlserver.notificationservices.dll
   30-Jun-2004  16:33  2.0.3008.2     36,864  Nscontrol.exe

REFERENCES

For more information about the NSControl Update command, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/sqlntsv/htm/ns_nscontrol_8hyr.asp

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: