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Q152468: Troubleshooting Dr. Watson Errors in SMSEXEC

Article: Q152468
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): winnt:1.0,1.1,1.2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork kbDatabase smsdatabase
Last Modified: 31-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 
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SYMPTOMS
========

SMSEXEC can fail with a Dr. Watson error when either the Inventory Processor,
Inventory Dataloader, or Despooler attempts to process corrupted files.

Memory read and write errors are associated with the Dr. Watson problem.

CAUSE
=====

The SMSEXEC process can fail with the Dr. Watson error if a RAW file, a MIF
file, or a NIL file are corrupted.

RAW Files
---------

RAW files are located in the Sms\Logon.srv\Inventry.box directory or the
Sms\Site.srv\Inventry.box directory. The Inventory Agent program reports the
inventory for the client by creating a RAW Inventory Agent file (*.raw) and
placing this file in the Inventry.box directory of the SMS_SHR share on the
client's logon server.

MIF Files
---------

MIF files are located in the Sms\Site.srv\Dataload.box\Deltamif.col directory. A
management information file (MIF) is an ASCII text file that contains
information about a computer component. A MIF is a description of the component
that is available to other applications through a standard management
interface.

NIL Files
---------

NIL files are located in the Sms\Site.srv\Despool.box\Receive. Instruction (NIL)
files can have any of the following extensions: *.ins, *.sni, *.ist, or *.nil.

A *.ins or *.sni instruction becomes *.ist or *.nil when the Systems Management
Server Despooler starts processing the instruction. A *.ist file is for
instructions that have an accompanying package file; *.nil is for stand-alone
instructions.

Use the following steps to determine what is causing the problem:

1. Verify the existence of a DS_00000.NIL file in the
  \Sms\Site.srv\Despool.box\Receive directory. If this file exists, remove it.
  Check the Despool log file and verify which package ID it was failing on.
  Restart SMSEXEC. You may want to remove the problem package and try
  resubmitting it.

2. Create a temporary directory in the root directory. Move the MIF files from
  Sms\Site.srv\Dataload.box\Deltamif.col to the temporary directory. Start
  SMSEXEC and determine whether the failure still occurs. If it does not, begin
  moving the MIF files back to the Deltamif.col directory, moving the newest
  RAW filess first, based on the file creation date. Move the MIF files in
  groups of approximately 10 to 20.

  After the system fails, take the first MIF and move it back to the temporary
  directory. Restart SMSEXEC. Repeat this process until all the bad MIF files
  have been isolated, and then edit them to determine which clients are causing
  the failure. Troubleshoot the clients to determine why they are creating bad
  MIF files (bad hardware, bad UINFO/Custom MIF, and so on).

3. Create a temporary directory in the root directory. Move the RAW files from
  Sms\Logon.srv\Inventry.box and \Sms\Site.srv\Inventry.box to the temporary
  directory. Note that we are only concerned about RAW files that have made it
  to the failing server; we are not concerned about logon servers with
  backed-up RAW files.

  Start SMSEXEC and determine whether the crash still occurs. If it does not,
  begin moving the RAW files back to their originating directory, moving the
  newest first, based on file creation date. Move the MIF files in groups of
  approximately 10 to 20.

  After the system fails, take the first RAW and move it back to the Temporary
  directory. Restart SMSEXEC. Repeat this process until all bad RAW files have
  been isolated, and then edit them to determine which clients are causing the
  failure. Troubleshoot the clients to determine why they are creating bad RAW
  files (bad hardware, bad UINFO/Custom MIF, and so on).

Additional query words: prodsms sms NIL SMSEXEC.EXE crash crashing

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Keywords          : kbnetwork kbDatabase smsdatabase 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS100 kbSMS110 kbSMS120
Version           : winnt:1.0,1.1,1.2
Issue type        : kbprb

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