Q271696: SMS: Smsapm32 Creates Large "Complete" Job Files on Clients

Article: Q271696
Product(s): Microsoft Systems Management Server
Version(s): 2.0,2.0 SP2
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsms200 kbsms200bug kbsms200fix kbSoftwareDist kbsms200preSP3fix kbsms200SP3fix
Last Modified: 06-AUG-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 2.0, 2.0 SP2 
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SYMPTOMS
========

Computers that have the Systems Management Server (SMS) Advertised Programs
client agent installed may experience sluggish performance, with a lot of memory
allocated to Smsapm32.exe (as viewed by using Performance Monitor or Task
Manager). Files in the <Windows>\Ms\Sms\Clicomp\Apa\Data\Complete folder
may be large (larger than 10 KB) and contain repeated instances of inactive
advertisements.

CAUSE
=====

This problem occurs if both of the following conditions exist:

- A specific program has more than one Advertisement.

- One or more of the advertisements has expired.

The Advertised Programs client agent (Smsapm32) improperly writes information
about the expiration of an advertised program repeatedly to files in the
Complete folder. Smsapm32 uses the information from the files in this folder to
identify which advertisements have already run or expired. As the files grow
larger, more memory is allocated to track the associated data, and client
performance may be reduced.


RESOLUTION
==========

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

  Q288239 SMS: How to Obtain the Latest Systems Management Server 2.0 Service
  Pack

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this issue, do not create multiple advertisements of the same
package/program combination and then subsequently expire one or more of them.
Instead, if an advertisement is expired, delete it before creating a new
advertisement for the same program.

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
Systems Management Server 2.0 Service Pack 3.

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

Smsapm32 writes a Complete file to the
<Windows>\Ms\Sms\Clicomp\Apa\Data\Complete folder when it has successfully
run a program from an advertisement. The Complete file is an indicator that the
program ran; it prevents the program from run again. Smsapm32 reads the contents
of the Complete folder to determine if the offers available to the client have
been run.

Below is a sample instance of inactive advertisement list exhibiting the problem
of duplicates, resulting in excessive memory use and processor utilization by
SMSAPM32.EXE. Note the duplication of instance data:

  

  {
    instance of Advertisement
    {
         AdvertID = "AAA20009";
         ODP = "System";
         Site = "AAA";
    };
    instance of Advertisement
    {
         AdvertID = "AAA20009";
         ODP = "System";
         Site = "AAA";
    };
    instance of Advertisement
    {
         AdvertID = "AAA20009";
         ODP = "System";
         Site = "AAA";
    };
    instance of Advertisement
    {
         AdvertID = "AAA20009";
         ODP = "System";
         Site = "AAA";
    };
    ...

In addition, we may also get multiple ODPKey instances. The following is an
excerpt from a complete file with this problem:

  

  instance of Active Advert List
  {
       PackageId = "MS000176";
       instance of ODPKeyList
       {
               instance of ODPKey
               {
                       ODP = "System";
                       Site = "MS0";
               };
               instance of ODPKey
               {
                       ODP = "System";
                       Site = "MS0";
               };
               instance of ODPKey
               {
                       ODP = "System";
                       Site = "MS0";
               };

Note that the multiple instances of ODPKey may also cause high CPU utilization on
the client from the SMSAPM32.EXE process, and large amounts of network traffic.



Additional query words: prodsms

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbsms200 kbsms200bug kbsms200fix kbSoftwareDist kbsms200preSP3fix kbsms200SP3fix 
Technology        : kbSMSSearch kbSMS200 kbSMS200SP2
Version           : :2.0,2.0 SP2
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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