asked on

a Process locked a table (SQL 2000)

I have a SQL Server 2000 database that when the users came in Monday morning a table was locked and my users couldn't use my application. This application with the SQL backend database has been around for 9 years and we have never had this problem. The user who locked the table (who was off Monday) was the new computer guy for the department and he was admittedly playing with the database so he could become familiar with it. Note the computer guy is not a SQL Server person and was not writing procs but might have been doing queries or playing with the data in the table.

My questions
* I don’t understand how “a process” could lock a table. By locking a table (my terminology) the particular table if opened in Enterprise Manager would time out and not show any records. What I’m looking for is a couple of “SIMPLE” examples of how to lock a table so it would time out.

* I had to go through the DBA who I was lucky enough she wanted to work with me. Once we determined the problem she “Stopped the process” and all was fine. How do I see a locking process in Enterprise Manager 2000 and then stop it. (I don’t have the rights to Enterprise Manager on the live db but I would like to see it on my local copy [I manage the live db through an Access adp])

A little more info:
I'm a programmer that uses SQL Server but my expertise is with the front end not the backend.

Raja Jegan R

>> Note the computer guy is not a SQL Server person and was not writing procs but might have been doing queries or playing with the data in the table.

Did he opened up any Transaction using those tables and have closed it properly.
If he didn't closed it, then that might cause the table to get locked till the transaction is closed out.

Mohit Vijay

use WITH (NOLOCK) when you trying to fetch record from a table (SELECT Query from table)

LJG

ASKER

rrjegan17 my problem is that I'm not sure what he did, but I'm sure he didn't write any procedures that used transaction, but he might of linked to the table with Access. Is it possible he added a record maybe, then did a delete query and didn't complete it (Access would ask are you sure you want to delete). He got interrupted and never answered OK?

Would this have locked the table from Friday to Monday?

Thanks for your help.
LJG

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Raja Jegan R

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LJG

ASKER

If a table is locked in SQL 2000 - Here are some thoughts.

0) Create the below view :
SELECT master.dbo.sysprocesses.spid, master.dbo.sysdatabases.name AS db_name, master.dbo.sysprocesses.hostname AS MachineName,
master.dbo.sysprocesses.nt_domain, master.dbo.sysprocesses.nt_username, master.dbo.sysprocesses.cmd, master.dbo.sysprocesses.blocked,
master.dbo.sysprocesses.login_time, master.dbo.sysprocesses.last_batch, master.dbo.sysprocesses.status, master.dbo.sysprocesses.dbid,
master.dbo.sysprocesses.open_tran, master.dbo.sysprocesses.program_name, master.dbo.sysprocesses.hostprocess
FROM master.dbo.sysprocesses INNER JOIN
master.dbo.sysdatabases ON master.dbo.sysprocesses.dbid = master.dbo.sysdatabases.dbid
WHERE (master.dbo.sysprocesses.dbid = 10) AND (master.dbo.sysprocesses.open_tran > 0)

1) Run the above view and get the SPID that is causing the problem.

2) Run --> sp_Lock with the SPID from above on the end --> eg --> sp_Lock 54
Get the ObjId

3) Run SELECT object_name(with the above ObjId) eg -->
Use Your Database Name
SELECT object_name(1298871744)

4) You now know Who, Where, and What Object is Locked.

5) Kill the Process --> Kill with SPID on the end eg --> KILL 54

6) You are good to go

7) You might also want to look at --> DBCC OPENTRAN WITH TABLERESULTS

Hope this helps someone.
LJG

LJG

ASKER

rrjegan17 -
You gave me the answer to what was locking the database - was able to confirm that truely lockes the table.

Also a great place to start on finding and unlocking such locks even though

SELECT *
FROM sys.dm_tran_active_transactions

does not work in SQL 2000 I was able to find some other solutions. If someone is interested to my post below.

Thanks again
LJG

Raja Jegan R

>> does not work in SQL 2000 I was able to find some other solutions. If someone is interested to my post below

In SQL Server 2000, approach mentioned in your comment would hold good with few modifications.(simplifying the query)