Microsoft KB Archive/942660

= FIX: Error message when you run the BULK INSERT statement in Microsoft SQL Server 2005: &quot;The bulk load failed. The column is too long in the data file for row , column &quot; =

Article ID: 942660

Article Last Modified on 10/4/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard X64 Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise X64 Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition for Itanium-based Systems
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems

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Bug: #50001724 (SQL Hotfix)



Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2005 fixes as one downloadable file. Because the fixes are cumulative, each new release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2005 fix release.



SYMPTOMS
When you run the BULK INSERT statement in Microsoft SQL Server 2005, you receive the following error message:

Msg 4866, Level 16, State 1, Line 1

The bulk load failed. The column is too long in the data file for row , column . Verify that the field terminator and row terminator are specified correctly.

Note In this error message,  represents the actual row number and column number.

This issue occurs if the following conditions are true:
 * The type of the input file is Unicode.
 * The size of the input file is more than 64KB.
 * The size of the input data is more than 4,096 characters.
 * The type of the target column is varchar.
 * The size of the varchar column is more than 4,096 characters.
 * The number of characters that are inserted into the varchar column is smaller than the size of the column.



RESOLUTION
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 4. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

941450 Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2

Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2005 fix release. Microsoft recommends that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

937137 The SQL Server 2005 builds that were released after SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 was released

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 hotfixes are created for specific SQL Server service packs. You must apply a SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 hotfix to an installation of SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2. By default, any hotfix that is provided in a SQL Server service pack is included in the next SQL Server service pack.



WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, change the type of the input data file from Unicode to ANSI.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information about what files are changed, and for information about any prerequisites to apply the cumulative update package that contains the hotfix that is described in this Microsoft Knowledge Base article, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

941450 Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2

