Adding database to publication stops responding on first article

When adding a database to publications, the process gets stuck on the first
article of the database. This only happens on databases that were previously
replicated, others run through without the slightest problem. We also checked
the transactions issued with sp_who2 / trace, it looks like the transaction
goes into a loop of selecting and updating. We have checked all the
replication related system tables in an attempt to properly remove any traces
of previous publication, but to no avail. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance
Hi Paul
To start of with, we had to manually clear out all the system tables to
properly disable the server as a distributor (The SEM froze) ( We also tried
using sp's which also became non-responsive). At the moment, enabling and
disabling the server as a distributor can be done without any problems
through SEM. We use the SEM to publish the database(s), and the process hangs
on the third step which is adding the articles. It simply gets stuck on
number 1 of X articles, but at least the GUI remains responsive. We have left
the process to run for significant periods without any change - it remains
stuck on article one. Again, we only experience this on databases that were
previously replicated, previously unreplicated databases can be published and
remove without any problems, so I am of the opinion that the problem is not
so much the SQL installation as a problem with the databases.
Thanks
Emile
"Paul Ibison" wrote:

> Emile,
> are you talking about sp_addarticle - manually or
> clicking the articles checkbox in the add publication
> wizard? Or is it when you run the snapshot agent, or the
> distribution/merge agent?
> What procedure gets called in a loop?
> How did you previously remove replication - if you want
> to remove almost all traces, try sp_removedbreplication.
> Rgds,
> Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
> (recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
> http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)
>
|||Emile
can you try sp_removedbreplication on the database in
question. Then use sp_dboption to disable and reenable
publishing and then see if the issue still remains.
Rgds,
Paul Ibison SQL Server MVP, www.replicationanswers.com
(recommended sql server 2000 replication book:
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602p.html)