Error 3917

Severity

16

Message text

An attempt was made to startup a multi-database update in database ’%S_DBID’ after starting up the master transaction in tempdb. This could render the database ’%S_DBID’ unrecoverable and this update is therefore not allowed.

Explanation

Error 3917 is raised when you initiate a transaction in tempdb and the transaction attempts to update one or more tables in another database. For example:

1> use tempdb
2> go

1> begin tran
2> go

1> update geo..nation
2> set n_comment="This is a grade V earthquake zone"
3> where n_nationkey = 4
4> go

Msg 3917, Level 16, State 1:
Line 1:
An attempt was made to startup a multi-database update in database
’geo’ after starting up the master transaction in tempdb.
This could render the database ’geo’ unrecoverable and this
update is therefore not allowed.

You cannot start update transactions in tempdb because tempdb is truncated upon recovery. If the transaction is left in a prepare state and it becomes necessary to restart the server, this will render the user database (the one being updated) unrecoverable.

Error 3917 can also be raised when a tempdb transaction log gets filled up, and is accompanied by error 1105 (see “Error 1105”).

Action

Check the Adaptive Server error log to help determine the circumstances in which the error is raised.

  1. If error 3917 was raised when you attempted a transaction that contained an update or insert statement, the transaction was incorrectly initiated from tempdb. Take one of the following steps, as applicable:

  2. If error 1105 in tempdb accompanies the 3917 error, an Adaptive Server problem probably occurred that prevents the checkpoint process from executing because the transaction log is filled up. Shut down and restart the server.

Additional information

When you call Sybase Technical Support, have the information ready that is listed in “Reporting errors”.

Versions in which this error is raised

All versions