SMS: Retrying a Package Update May Create Many Jobs (319207)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0
This article was previously published under Q319207
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

If Systems Management Server (SMS) Distribution Manager does not update any of the local distribution points for a package, the package-update process is retried at least once an hour. If Distribution Manager is also working on other packages, Distribution Manager retries the unsuccessful package more frequently. If this problem occurs on the central site in a large hierarchy, Distribution Manager also sends the package information to every site in the hierarchy ever time it retries the package. This can significantly increase the number of site communication jobs on the central site, and a backlog of job files may occur in the \SMS\Inboxes\Schedule.box folder.

CAUSE

The package-update process does not distinguish between updating local distribution points and sending updated package data to lower-level sites in the hierarchy. Therefore, when a package is retried but a local distribution point is repeatedly not updated, the package information is repeatedly sent to the lower-level sites.

RESOLUTION

Service Pack Information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

288239 How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack

Hotfix Information

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Systems Management Server service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English post-Service Pack 3 version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: 
   Date        Time   Version         Size     File name     Platform
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
   1-Mar-2001  17:25  2.00.1493.3253  811,792  Baseutil.dll  Alpha
   1-Mar-2001  17:45  2.00.1493.3257  360,720  Distmgr.dll   Alpha
   1-Mar-2001  17:25  2.00.1493.3253  527,296  Baseutil.dll  I386
   1-Mar-2001  17:45  2.00.1493.3257  231,312  Distmgr.dll   I386
NOTE: Because of file dependencies, the most recent hotfix or feature that contains the above files may also contain additional files.

WORKAROUND

You can avoid this problem if you do not have any local distribution points at the site where the package is created. This typically requires that no SMS client be directly assigned to that particular site.

If SMS Distribution Manager reports a problem in trying to reach a local distribution point, resolve the problem as soon as possible. If the distribution point has been permanently removed from the network, use the SMS Administrator console to modify the properties of any packages that still have this computer defined as a valid distribution point.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 5.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To determine whether the SMS Distribution Manager component is having difficulty in updating a local distribution point, examine the SMS status messages for the component at the site where the package was created. The following status messages are generated when the distribution point is not updated successfully:
Message ID: 2328 - SMS Distribution Manager failed to copy package package ID from package source to Distribution Point location.

Message ID: 2302 - SMS Distribution Manager failed to process package package name (package ID = package ID).
The following status message is generated every time that SMS Distribution Manager sends a package update to a lower-level site:
Message ID: 2339 - SMS Distribution Manager instructed SMS Scheduler and Sender to send the package information for package package ID to child site site code.
Additionally, the following registry key shows whether SMS Distribution Manager is currently retrying any packages at the local site:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Components\SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER\Retry History\package ID

You can delete the package ID registry key and the values in it to stop Distribution Manager from retrying the package update. This does not prevent the problem from occurring again if the cause of the problem still exists.

Hotfix Installation Instructions

Apply this hotfix to all of the sites in the SMS hierarchy. After you install the fix, update any collection that is affected by the problem at the site where the collection was created. To install the fix, use one of the following methods.

How to Use the Hotfix Installer

NOTE: You can use this method only on Intel-based computers.
  1. Copy the hotfix folder structure to a share on your network. Note that Q319207.exe is a Microsoft SMS Installer file that updates specific files on your site server.
  2. Log on to the site server by using an account with administrator permissions.
  3. On the site server, quit the SMS Administrator console.
  4. Run the Q319207.exe tool and then follow the instructions in the wizard. You can run the file in Quiet mode by using the /s switch.

How to Manually Install the Hotfix

  1. On the site server, quit the SMS Administrator console.
  2. Stop the SMS Site Component Manager, SMS Executive, Windows Management, and SMS SQL Monitor services on the site server.
  3. Replace the Baseutil.dll file in the Sms_root_folder\Bin\Platform folder with the version of the file from the hotfix.
  4. Replace the Distmgr.dll file in the Sms_root_folder\Bin\Platform folder with the version of the file from the hotfix.
  5. Restart the SMS Site Component Manager, SMS Executive, Windows Management, and SMS SQL Monitor services.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/7/2006
Keywords:kbQFE KBHotfixServer kbSMS200preSP5fix kbbug kbfix kbPackage kbSoftwareDist KB319207
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.