Duplicate rows may exist in the Hardware History folder of a Systems Management Server 2003 client (886157)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003

SYMPTOMS

The hardware inventory information for nodes may increase in the Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 Administrator console even though no additional hardware has been installed on the nodes. Additionally, values that are reported in the Name column and in the Type column may be repeated several times in Resource Explorer.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the SMS Inventory Data Loader processes a value in a Management Information File (MIF) that is longer than 254 characters.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, create a scheduled task to delete all hardware history data that is older than the number of days that you specify. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Systems Management Server, and then click SMS Administrator Console.
  2. In the console tree, expand Site Database (SiteCode - SiteName), expand Site Hierarchy, and then expand SiteCode - SiteName. Expand Site Settings, expand Site Maintenance, and then click Tasks.

    Note SiteCode - SiteName is the site that contains the hardware inventory data that you want to delete.
  3. Right-click Delete Aged Inventory History, and then click Properties.
  4. Click Enable this task.
  5. In the Delete data older than box, enter the maximum age of data that is retained.
  6. Click OK.
Note You must have Read or Modify permissions for the Site security object class or Site security object instance to perform this procedure.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

Before the SMS Inventory Data Loader loads a value that is longer than 254 characters into the Microsoft SQL Server database, that value is truncated to 254 characters. When the Inventory Data Loader processes another MIF file that contains the same information, the new file is compared to the truncated value in the database. If the new file is also longer than 254 characters, the two files do not match. Therefore, the Inventory Data Loader considers the new data to be new inventory information. The Inventory Data Loader then updates the information in the database and moves the old information to the hardware history for the node.

This problem does not occur for MIF files that do not contain a value that is longer than 254 characters.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/13/2005
Keywords:kbprb kbSMS2003bug kbnofix kbtshoot kbwinservperf kbMgmtServices KB886157 kbAudITPRO
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