Microsoft To Patch New SQL Server Update

A problem in SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 is prompting a hot fix to post later today or tomorrow.

There is also a refresh of SP2 code available now from this page.

SP 2 has been available for a week and a half.

The fix addresses an issue that can arise when users perform a legacy cleanup task and could lead to data loss, a Microsoft official said Monday night.

A customer who deploys SP2 and uses a previous version of that database cleanup tool, could lose data. "That is not a good thing, " said Francois Ajenstat, director of project management for SQL Server told CRN on Monday night.

He said he was unaware of any actual data losses, but a customer encountering one will get a free support call.

The hot fix will be posted to Microsoft's download site and will be pushed out via Microsoft Update as well, Ajenstat said.

Some SQL Server enthusiasts discovered the issue and posted about it . There is more information on this Microsoft site .

Users could be affected if they use SQL Server 2005 maintenance plans, which include a History Cleanup Task or a Maintenance Cleanup Task, and then install SP2, according to the Microsoft post. Users of SQL Server 2000 legacy maintenance plans are not affected.

This story was updated Tuesday evening with information on the currently available refresh download.