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Q188060: SMS: Long Program Item Description May Cause NAD Corruption

Article: Q188060
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): winnt:1.2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbPGC smsappman smspgc kbSMSAppMan
Last Modified: 31-JUL-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server version 1.2 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When a program item description exceeds 40 characters in length, you receive the
following error in the AppMan.log file of a child site that receives the package
update:

  NAD ##> Error setting program item 'I000003B' (package I000002E). (10)

After the error occurs, it is possible that a sequence of corruption can spread
through the secondary site. This does not always occur, but when it does, it can
result in some very strange behavior from Program Group Control (PGC) on Systems
Management Server clients.

NOTE: It is only possible to create a program item description that exceeds 40
characters by importing a package definition file (PDF) where the description is
greater than 40 characters.

WORKAROUND
==========

To quickly locate any program item that can potentially cause a problem, run the
following use ISQL/W against the SMS database to run the following query:

     select * from ProgramItems where datalength(Description) > 40

For any items that are returned, make note of the package ID and then do the
following:

1. Use the Systems Management Server Administrator program to shorten any
  program item descriptions so that they do not exceed 40 characters.

2. Stop and restart the SMS Executive service on each child site. This ensures
  that the SMS Application Manager service does not remain in an unstable
  state.

3. Use either of the following commands to reset the network applications
  database (NAD) at each child site (the second command below targets specific
  sites that were affected):

        RSAPPCTL /ALL

  -or-

        RSAPPCTL /SITE:xxx

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server
version 1.2. We are researching this problem and will post new information here
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Sites that are affected by this problem can experience the following problems
after the error occurs:

- The Application Manager may corrupt the registry in the following registry
  keys:

     HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Components\Application Manager\Package
     Keys\<package_ID>\<program_item_ID>

  The program item IDs listed under each Package ID will all be set to the same
  value. In this example, each package that followed package ID "I000002E"
  would contain "I000003B" for the program item.

- Subsequent work cycles by the Application Manager will incorrectly detect
  that the "server list has changed" for certain packages. When this occurs,
  the following text can be found in the Appman.log file:

        Server list has changed for package I0000049.  Updating program
        items.~

- The Application Manager may then "corrupt" the program items (*.haf files)
  located in the SMS\Site.srv\Maincfg.box\Appctl.src\database directory.

- The Application Manager may reach an unstable state where the Nadctrl.nad
  file is deleted from the \database directory and is not re-created. This will
  have serious effect on the Systems Management Server clients. When the
  Nadctrl.nad file does not exist in the NAD directory, Appctrl.exe does not
  access this NAD, but will try to find another NAD in the SMS hierarchy.

Additional query words: prodsms

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Keywords          : kbPGC smsappman smspgc kbSMSAppMan 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS120
Version           : winnt:1.2
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

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