Microsoft KB Archive/921498

= Error message when you try to create a database connection to SQL Server Express in a Windows Server 2003-based terminal server session: &quot;Failed to spawn a user instance of SQL Server&quot; =

Article ID: 921498

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-Based Systems

-



SYMPTOMS
Consider the following scenario. You establish a terminal server session with a computer that is running a 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Server 2003. In the terminal server session, you use Microsoft Visual Studio to create a database connection to Microsoft SQL Server Express. When you create this database connection, you specify the following query for the connection string:

User Instance=True

In this scenario, you receive the following error message:

Failed to spawn a user instance of SQL Server due to a failure in starting the process for the user instance. The connection will be closed.



CAUSE
When an application creates a connection to SQL Server Express in a terminal server session, SQL Server Express tries to create a cross-session process. The packet that is sent from a 32-bit process has the 32-bit data type. However, the current execution service on a 64-bit operating system can recognize only the 64-bit data type. Therefore, SQL Server Express cannot create a cross-session process.



Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

Prerequisites
To apply this hotfix, you must have Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed on the computer. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

Restart requirement
You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows Server 2003, x64-based versions


STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Keywords: kberrmsg kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbpubtypekc kbexpertiseinter kbhotfixserver kbwinserv2003presp2fix kbwinserv2003sp2fix KB921498

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.