Microsoft KB Archive/109200

FIX: Dump File Archive Attribute Not Set if Previously Cleared

PSS ID Number: Q109200 Article last modified on 10-31-1994

4.20

WINDOWS

BUG# NT: 609 (4.2)

= SYMPTOMS =

If the archive attribute has been previously cleared, SQL Server for Windows NT does not reset the archive attribute when dumping to an existing dump file. It is common to dump to a disk file, then in a second step use a file backup program to save the disk dump file(s) to tape. Since many tape backup programs depend on the archive attribute for incremental backup, this can result in the SQL dump file not being backed up to tape.

Example:

Each day the log is dumped to disk then an automated tape backup program dumps to tape. Since many backup programs rely on the archive bit, any log dump after the first never gets saved to tape, then the disk file is overwritten by the next dump. The behavior is the same on both the NTFS and FAT file systems.

NOTE: SQL Server for OS/2 properly resets the archive attribute on existing dump files.

= WORKAROUND =

If using a tape or any other backup program to backup SQL Server for Windows NT disk dump files, do not rely on an incremental backup based on the archive attribute. Instead use the complete, or full backup function of the program. Alternately, you can manually turn on the archive attribute of existing dump files with the following command,

attrib +a filename

where filename is the name of the disk dump file.

Another option is to completely delete the existing disk dump file before doing another dump. If the file does not exist, it will be created with the archive attribute set.

= STATUS =

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server version 4.2. This problem was corrected in SQL Server version 4.21. For more information, contact your primary support provider.

Additional reference words: 4.20 bit Windows NT KBCategory: kbother KBSubcategory: SSrvWinNT

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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.