FIX: Alpha: SELECT INTO with Kills Can Cause Process Hangs

• Microsoft SQL Server version 4.21a

SYMPTOMS

When you issue a kill on a spid, it will not kill the specified process, and subsequent kills issued against the spid will not work.

When you perform a SELECT * from sysprocesses on the server, it will show spid 3 stuck in a command of DUMP TRAN in dbid 2 (tempdb), and one or more user processes stuck in a command of INSERT. These user processes will not respond to the kill command.



This problem is usually only encountered when you perform a stress test that includes SELECT INTO a temp table and repeated kills of all processes.

WORKAROUND

Once the problem occurs, the only solution is to shut down SQL Server with nowait. To avoid or minimize the problem, do not perform excessive KILL commands on processes doing SELECT INTO commands into tempdb.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server version 4.21a for Alpha. This problem was corrected in the latest U.S. Service Pack for SQL Server version 4.21a. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, please contact your primary support provider.

Additional query words: Alpha hang blocking

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Last Reviewed: April 20, 1999