Microsoft KB Archive/198170

= FIX: SP4 Hotfix Performance Problem on Alpha Version =

Article ID: 198170

Article Last Modified on 10/16/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 6.5 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q198170



BUG #: 18515 (SQLBUG_65)



SYMPTOMS
Due to an anomaly with the Alpha build process, standard SQL processing may take up to 40 percent more CPU usage on SQL Server 6.5 (Alpha) with certain individual builds released after Service Pack 4. The 6.50.3xx builds beginning with build 6.50.306 exhibit this symptom. You can determine which build you are using by running SELECT @@version from a query window. Service Pack 5 for SQL Server 6.5 does not exhibit this symptom.



WORKAROUND
This problem is corrected in SQL Server Service pack 5. Either upgrade to Service Pack 5 or go back to Service Pack 4.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Alpha builds of SQL Server 6.5 later than Service Pack 4 but earlier than Service Pack 5. This problem has been corrected in the Alpha version of the latest U.S. Service Pack for SQL Server version 6.5. For more information, contact your primary support provider.



MORE INFORMATION
You can observe the excessive CPU usage and the exact cause by using the Windows NT Performance Monitor. To do this, perform the following steps:


 * 1) Start Performance Monitor.
 * 2) On the Edit menu, click Add to Chart.
 * 3) In the Object box, select System, and in the Counter box, select Alignment Fixups/sec (this is the rate of alignment faults fixed by the system).
 * 4) Log in to SQL Server and perform a standard series of operations. You will see an abnormal number of alignment fixups per second.

Alignment faults are specific to the RISC environment and are a result of variables not being aligned on natural bit boundaries for a specific data type. The CISC environment handles this transparently at the hardware level. For more information, see the C++ Help files or search the Web for CISC and RISC information sources.

Additional query words: use utilization sp sp5 sp4 perfmon datatype

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbqfe KB198170

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