Microsoft KB Archive/306649

= Error message when you implement a nested transaction with the OLE DB Provider for SQL Server: &quot;Could not start a transaction for OLE DB provider&quot; =

Article ID: 306649

Article Last Modified on 12/9/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Data Access Components 2.6
 * Microsoft Data Access Components 2.6 Service Pack 1

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This article was previously published under Q306649



SYMPTOMS
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server does not support nested transactions, and the following error message is returned:

Could not start a transaction for OLE DB provider '%ls'.

Microsoft SQL Server also returns the following error message if the provider is a SQL Server-specific provider:

Server: Msg 7392, Level 16, State 2,

Could not start a transaction for OLE DB provider 'SQLOLEDB'. [OLE/DB provider returned message: Only one transaction can be active on this session.]



CAUSE
This error indicates that a data modification statement is being attempted against an OLE DB provider when the connection is in an explicit or implicit transaction, and the OLE DB Provider does not support nested transactions. SQL Server requires this support so that, on certain error conditions, it can terminate the effects of the data modification statement while continuing with the transaction.



RESOLUTION
To work around this problem, set XACT_ABORT to ON before the transaction. This causes SQL Server to terminate the surrounding transaction when an error occurs while processing the data modification statement. If SET XACT_ABORT is ON, SQL Server does not require nested transaction support from the OLE DB Provider.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



Steps to Reproduce Behavior
This sample uses a linked server, which uses OLE DB Provider for SQL Server, to explain the effect of XACT_ABORT.   Use OLE DB Provider for SQL Server to create a linked server named Sales that uses Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server. USE Master GO EXEC sp_addlinkedserver 'Sales', N'SQL Server' GO   Open Query Analyzer, and run the following command. Begin Transaction Insert into Sales.Northwind.DBO.Customers(CustomerId,CompanyName) Values ('1000','Test') Commit Transaction You receive the above-mentioned error message.

Workaround
  Run the following command to set XACT_ABORT to ON: Set XACT_ABORT ON                    Run the Insert statement again. Notice that the data is inserted into the table without an error.

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