Consider the following scenario:

• You create a merge publication in Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or in Microsoft SQL Server 2008.
• You create republishers for the merge publication.
• You create global subscribers that subscribe to the republishers.
• You drop a subscription between a republisher and a subscriber. Then, you synchronize the republishers with the publisher.
• You try to add the subscription back to the republisher.

In this scenario, you receive the following error message:

SQL Server 2005

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 7 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3. For more information about this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2005 fix release. Microsoft recommends that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 hotfixes are created for specific SQL Server service packs. You must apply a SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3 hotfix to an installation of SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3. By default, any hotfix that is provided in a SQL Server service pack is included in the next SQL Server service pack.

SQL Server 2008

Release version of SQL Server 2008

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 9. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2008, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

SQL Server 2008 SP1

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 6 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1. For more information about this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 fix release. Microsoft recommends that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 hotfixes are created for specific SQL Server service packs. You must apply a SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 hotfix to an installation of SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1. By default, any hotfix that is provided in a SQL Server service pack is included in the next SQL Server service pack.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must have SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3 (SP3) installed. For more information about how to obtain SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Restart information

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Registry information

You do not have to change the registry.

Hotfix file information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

For all 32-bit versions of SQL Server 2005

For all x64-based versions of SQL Server 2005

For all IA-64-based versions of SQL Server 2005

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

1. Stop all DML activities on the main publisher.
2. Stop the merge agents that synchronize the main publisher and the republishers.
3. Stop the merge agents that synchronize the republishers and the leaf-level subscribers.
4. Back up the main publisher and all republishers.
5. Run the following statements on the republishing database:

   Begin tran MyTran
   delete <RepublisherDBname>..SysMergeSubscriptions where 
   subscriber_server = '<enter name>' and
   [db_name] = '<enter subscribing dbname>' and
   pubid = <enter pub id>
   

6. Create another connection to the republishing database. Then, run the following statement to make sure that only the rows that you intended to delete were deleted:

   Select * from <RepublisherDBname>..sysmergesubscriptions with (nolock)

7. In the first connection, run the following statement if the correct rows were deleted:

   Commit tran MyTran

   If the correct rows were not deleted, run the following statement:

   Rollback tran MyTran

8. If any error occurs during the process, restore the databases or reinitialize the replication.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

After you apply this hotfix, you must delete the subscriber that was not added successfully from the SysMergeSubscriptions system table that is located on the republishing database. To do this, run the following statement:

For more information about the Incremental Servicing Model for SQL Server, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about new features and improvements in SQL Server 2005 SP3, visit the following Microsoft Web site: For more information about the naming schema for SQL Server updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: