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What would cause processor (sqlservr.exe) to peak 99%

  • January 8, 2004 at 3:03 pm

    #83287

    I still new to SQL Server so please be gentle.

    We have one server that has on the last 2 days seemed

    to lock up. Sqlservr.exe had 99% of processor, but I did not see any jobs

    or backups running, no scheduled tasks, etc. This may have been

    caused by some external process on another server or something???

    What would you suggest to do to help track the source of the problem?

    Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Where do I look?

    (Please - walk me though any complicated answers)

    Thanx in advance for your help

  • January 9, 2004 at 4:54 am

    #489324

    How long does the peak last? Not uncommon on any box to hit max cpu for a second or two at a time, it's sustained max that hurts. To track it down, it depends on the culprit. If it's a query or job, running a server side trace would help you identify it. If it's something else on the box - IIS for example, harder to find.

    Andy
    SQLAndy - My Blog!
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  • January 9, 2004 at 7:01 am

    #489352

    Thanx for your post;

    The peak lasts indefinitly. Late yesterday we determined that our only recourse is to kill one process running on another server accessing files/records on the main server. CPU% returned to normal. The process was re-started and all seems good for now or at least until it happens again. The "gurus" at the application support (I use the term losely!) seem to think that two ore more processes may be attempting to access the same file(s)/record(s) and some sort of record lock happens suspending the one process indefinitely. We kill it, the lock releases, the second process must finish by the time we restart the the first process, that's why all seems well again.

    So new question: How do I determine what external processes are accessing files/records on the main server at the time of the peak?

  • January 9, 2004 at 11:56 am

    #489440

    http://www.sysinternals.com has some good utilities to see which process holds which file open.

  • January 11, 2004 at 4:47 pm

    #489552

    Make sure you have the latest service pack, at least SP3

     

    select serverproperty('productlevel')

     

    This will ensure you are not experiencing the slammer virus.

    HTH

    ------------

    Ray Higdon MCSE, MCDBA, CCNA

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