SQL Server 2016 SP1: Known issues

The SQL Product team has identified the following known issues which the customers may encounter after installing SQL Server 2016 SP1. The following post will help the customers  plan and prepare their environment for the following known issues while installing SQL Server 2016 SP1.

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)

If Reporting Services is set to use a secure (https/SSL) connection, a warning about security content may be displayed or Print function may not work after installing SQL Server 2016 SP1. Please install the fix KB 3207512 (Build 13.0.4199.0) which contains the fix for the issue.

SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) After installing SQL Server 2016 SP1, the DCOM permissions for launching and accessing Integration Services service may get reset to default permissions. This issue is unconfirmed yet but if you have customized DCOM permissions, you might have to reapply the customization. The issue is under investigation but users if hit it, they can use the workaround described in KB 2000474.

We confirm that SSIS is not impacted by the abovementioned issue in SQL Server 2016 SP1.

SQL Master Data Services (MDS)

After installing SQL Server 2016 SP1, when you try to add or edit a business rule, it fails with error below. This issue is introduced by Security Update MS16-136 fix in GDR which is also included in SQL Server 2016 SP1 and SQL Server 2016 CU3. The issue and error below is applicable only to SQL Server 2016 branches patched with Security Update, CU3 or SP1 and doesn't apply to lower versions of SQL Server.

"This business rule contains corrupted rule item(s), as corresponding SQL Script has been changed"
"The sequence must be greater than zero"

The fix for this issue is included in the following updates:

ODBC Driver 13.1

With the default installation of SQL Server 2016, ODBC Driver 13.0 is installed on the server which is used by SQL Agent and SSMS (installed on server) to connect to the SQL Server instance. If you have installed ODBC Driver 13.1 on your server for any reason, SQL Server 2016 SP1 installation overrides the ODBC Driver 13.1 installation and the fixes introduced in 13.1 like KB 3185365 may be lost. In this case post installation of SQL Server 2016 SP1, it is recommended to uninstall the ODBC Driver installed by SQL Server 2016 SP1 and install ODBC Driver 13.1.

To check for ODBC Driver installed on the server, you can go to Control Panel of the server –> Programs and Features –> Search for ODBC. The version number of ODBC Driver 13.1 is 13.1.811.168 as shown below

 

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Uninstalling SQL Server 2016 SP1 (Not recommended)

If for any reason you choose to uninstall SQL Server 2016 SP1, the uninstallation of SQL Server 2016 SP1 is not blocked and you will be able to uninstall SQL Server 2016 SP1 like any other service pack. However, if you are running Standard, Web, Express edition of SQL Server and leveraging some of the new features which are unlocked only starting SQL Server 2016 SP1, you might see some unforeseen errors or databases might even be left in suspect state after uninstallation of SQL Server 2016 SP1. Even worse would be if the system databases are using new features for example, partitioned table in master database, it can lead to SQL Server instance unable to start after uninstalling SQL Server 2016 SP1 . Hence it is recommended to validate all the new features are disabled or dropped before you choose to uninstall SQL Server 2016 SP1 on editions other than Enterprise Edition. It is not possible to drop memory_optimized_data filegroup . Hence if you have setup memory_optimized_data filegroup on your database with SP1, you should not uninstall SQL Server 2016 SP1 in that case else the database will get in suspect mode with following error message logged in Errorlog

2016-11-24 04:45:39.74 spid15s     Error: 41381, Severity: 21, State: 1.
2016-11-24 04:45:39.74 spid15s     The database cannot be started in this edition of SQL Server because it contains a MEMORY_OPTIMIZED_DATA filegroup. See Books Online for more details on feature support in different SQL Server editions.

If you are running Enterprise edition of SQL Server 2016 SP1, none of this applies and you can uninstall SP1 without any issues or additional checks.

Please read our Tiger blog post for more details and scripts to detect and validate if new features are in use before you plan uninstall SP1 on Standard, Web, Express edition of SQL Server 2016.

Parikshit Savjani
Senior Program Manager (@talktosavjani)