SMS: Sender Intermittently Does Not Send Data and Sender.log File Contains Win32 Error Messages (330791)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0
This article was previously published under Q330791

SYMPTOMS

A Systems Management Server (SMS) site server may intermittently not send data (files) to another SMS site server. The SMS sender tries to send data again a few minutes later and typically successfully transfers the data. The Sender.log file contains several connection-related event messages. These can include any or all of the following event messages:
  • Win32 error = 6 - "The handle is invalid"
  • Win32 error = 53 - "The network path was not found"
  • Win32 error = 59 - "An unexpected network error occurred"
  • Win32 error = 161 - "The specified path is invalid"
  • Win32 error = 2250 - "This network connection does not exist"
The most frequentlyseen errors with this issue are Win32 errors 6 and 59.

CAUSE

After a sender thread first makes a network connection to a remote SMS site server, a file named SMS_XMIT.TST is created and deleted on the remote SMS site server to make sure that the sender has the correct permissions to send data. When multiple sender threads try to create this file at a single remote SMS site server, a sharing violation occurs. If a sender thread repeatedly cannot create this file, it may close the network connection while another sender thread is still transferring data.

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 version of this fix for SMS 2.0 Service Pack 4 (SP4) sites has the file attributes (or later) 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 tool in Control Panel.

   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name        Platform
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   01-May-2002  18:05  2.0.1493.4165      37,136  Connras.dll      Alpha
   01-May-2002  18:05  2.0.1493.4165     213,264  Sender.dll       Alpha
   01-May-2002  18:05  2.0.1493.4165      23,920  Connras.dll      X86
   01-May-2002  18:05  2.0.1493.4165     134,048  Sender.dll       X86
Note Because of file dependencies, the most recent hotfix or feature that contains these files may also contain additional files.

How to Install the Hotfix

Using the Hotfix Installer

Note This method is only for Intel-based computers.
  1. Create a folder in a location that your SMS site servers can access.
  2. Copy the update file (Q330791.exe) and platform folders to the new folder. The folder structure must be such that the update file is located one folder above the platform folders.
  3. From each of the primary and secondary SMS site servers in your environment, log on to your site server by using an account that has administrative credentials.
  4. Quit the SMS Administrator console if it is running.
  5. Run Q330791.exe, and then follow the instructions in the wizard.

Manual Installation

  1. Create a folder in a location that your SMS site servers can access.
  2. Copy the platform folders that contain the hotfix files to the folder that you just created.
  3. From each of the primary and secondary SMS site servers in your environment, log on to your site server by using an account that has administrative credentials.
  4. Quit the SMS Administrator console if it is running.
  5. Stop all SMS services.
  6. Replace the Connras.dll file and the Sender.dll file in the SmsRootFolder \Bin\Platform folder with the versions that are from the hotfix.
  7. Restart the SMS services.

WORKAROUND

This problem typically occurs on SMS site servers where the number of concurrent sender threads is set to a larger number than the default number of 3. As the number of threads that the SMS sender is permitted to use per site increases, there is a greater chance that the sender cannot transfer data. To configure this setting:
  1. Open the SMS Administrator Console.
  2. Locate the Site Database\Site Hierarchy\SiteCode\Site Settings\Senders\SenderName node.
  3. Double-click SenderName (for example "Standard Sender"), and then in Sender Properties, click the Advanced tab.
  4. Type a low number in the Per site box, for example 3.
This setting determines the maximum number of simultaneous communications that any single destination site can receive. The default value is 3. For remote access senders, this box is unavailable and set to 1.

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

The hotfix for this issue changes the sender so that each sender thread uses its own unique file name instead of having all threads use SMS_XMIT.TST. With this hotfix, each thread appends its own thread identification at the end of the file name. For example, before thread 292 starts sending data to a destination site, it creates and deletes a file that is named SMS_XMIT292.TST in the SmsRootFolder\inboxes\despoolr.box\receive folder at the destination site.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/5/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbSMS200preSP5fix kbMiscTools kbbug KB330791
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