PRB: Sp_helpdevice Shows Multiple Devices with Device_number 0 (75546)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft SQL Server 4.2x
- Microsoft SQL Server 6.0
- Microsoft SQL Server 6.5
This article was previously published under Q75546 SYMPTOMS
In the section for adding database devices ( page 36 for
version 4.2), the "Microsoft SQL Server System
Administrator's Guide" states that "VDEVNO" must be unique among
database devices and dump devices; running sp_helpdevice displays
multiple devices with the "device_number" equal to 0 (zero) (which
is reserved for the master device).
CAUSE
Unlike DISK INIT, which is used to create database devices, dump
devices are created with the stored procedure sp_addumpdevice,
which does NOT require a device number as a parameter. The stored
procedure sp_helpdevice calculates the "device_number" by dividing
the "low" column in sysdevices by 16777216. Because "low" (the
starting virtual page number) for dump devices is always 0 (zero),
this computation will yield 0 (zero).
For this reason, the master database device and all dump devices
have a device_number equal to 0 (zero) when running sp_helpdevice.
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 2/14/2005 |
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| Keywords: | kbProgramming KB75546 |
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