DTC Log File Corruption or Growth Problems

ID: Q197812

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Transaction Server version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

This hotfix corrects several DTC log problems:

• When Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC) is used with an XA-compliant resource manager such as Oracle, IBM DB2, or Informix, the Dtcxatm.log file can grow to an extremely large size. In some cases the log file may consume several hundred megabytes of disk space. The size of the log file may also affect recovery time. When recovery is performed, MS DTC reads through the entire log file which can lead to extremely long recovery times. This problem occurs because of an error in the way that space is reclaimed in the log file. This problem has been corrected.
• The MS DTC service may fail to start because the Msdtc.log file was corrupted. There were two circumstances under which this could occur.

      - If MS DTC recovery occurs just after MS DTC reaches the end of the
        log file and resumes writing at the beginning of the log file.
  

        -or-
  

      - If MS DTC recovery is performed twice in very quick succession.
  

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Transaction Server version 2.0. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression- tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Product Support for more information.

MORE INFORMATION

Who Should Install This Release

You should install hotfix 0806 if you are experiencing the DTC log-related problems discussed above.

This hotfix should only be installed on systems running Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0 (Service Pack 4 is recommended). It should not be installed on systems running Microsoft Windows NT version 3.51 or Microsoft Windows 2000.

Note that this hotfix is based on the version of Microsoft DTC included with the Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 release. By installing this hotfix, you are upgrading Microsoft DTC to the Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4 release level in addition to correcting the problems described here.

How to Install on a Non-clustered System

1. Create an empty temporary directory on your system.

2. Run the self-extracting executable file (I0806.exe (i386) or A0806.exe

   (alpha)) and type the name of the temporary directory when you are
   prompted to do so.

   The program will unzip the following files into the temporary directory:

      Dtcsetup.exe
      Qfe0806.txt

   depend on Microsoft DTC (including Microsoft Transaction Server,
   Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Message Queue, and Microsoft COM
   Transaction Integrator (COMTI)).

5. Run Dtcsetup.exe.

6. Restart the system.

7. Restart all services that depend on Microsoft DTC.

How to Install on a Cluster with an Already Clustered Microsoft DTC

1. Create an empty temporary directory on both nodes of the cluster.

2. Run the self-extracting executable file (I0806.exe (i386) or A0806.exe

   (alpha)) on both nodes of the cluster and type the name of the
   temporary directory when you are prompted to do so.

   The program will unzip the following files into the temporary directory:

      Dtcsetup.exe
      Qfe0806.txt

   resource, if it is running. Stop all services that depend on Microsoft
   DTC (including Microsoft Transaction Server, Microsoft SQL Server,
   Microsoft Message Queue, and Microsoft COMTI).

5. Run Dtcsetup.exe on the node that controls the Microsoft DTC cluster

   resource. When you are prompted to install Microsoft DTC on the other
   nodes in the cluster, run Dtcsetup.exe on those nodes.

7. Restart all services that depend on Microsoft DTC.

How to Install on a Cluster with a Non-clustered Microsoft DTC

1. Create an empty temporary directory on both nodes of the cluster.

2. Run the self-extracting executable file (I0806.exe (i386) or A0806.exe

   (alpha)) on both nodes of the cluster and type the name of the
   temporary directory when you are prompted to do so.

   The program will unzip the following files into the temporary directory:

      Dtcsetup.exe
      Qfe0806.txt

   services that depend on Microsoft DTC (including Microsoft Transaction
   Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Message Queue, and Microsoft
   COMTI).

5. When you install this release on a clustered system, the Setup program

   automatically installs a clustered version of Microsoft DTC. The
   clustered version of Microsoft DTC requires an MSCS Resource Group that
   contains both a Network Name Resource and a Shared Disk Resource. Before
   installing this release, ensure that at least one such MSCS Resource
   Group exists. Dtcsetup.exe will assign Microsoft DTC to the first MSCS
   Resource Group that it finds that contains both a Network Name Resource
   and Shared Disk Resource. After ensuring that the necessary Resource
   Group exists, run Dtcsetup.exe on the node controlling that Resource
   Group.

   cluster, run Dtcsetup.exe on those nodes.

8. Restart all services that depend on Microsoft DTC.

Keywords          : kbbug2.00 
Version           : WINNT:2.0
Platform          : winnt
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

Last Reviewed: December 29, 1998