FIX: Replication of Table with Computed Column Defined as the Primary Key Results in Error Message 4817 (308725)

SYMPTOMS

If a table contains a computed column and the computed column is the primary key, when you set up the table as an article within transactional or snapshot replication, the distribution agent fails during the initial synchronization process when you try to BULK INSERT the snapshot on the subscriber and reports the following error message:

Error number: 4817
Could not bulk insert. Invalid sorted column '<columnname>'. Assuming data stream is not sorted.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

290211 INF: How to Obtain the Latest SQL Server 2000 Service Pack

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, you can use either of these methods:

Replace the primary key on the computed column with a non-clustered index or remove the primary key.

-or-
Replicate to target table that already exists, which does not have the target column defined (on the subscriber) as a computed column. In other words, create the table on the subscriber without the computed column, and then set the snapshot options for the article properties appropriately so that SQL Server does not re-create the table during the initial synchronization.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft SQL Server 2000. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 2.