SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 3 is available!

Microsoft has released a final service pack for SQL Server 2008 R2: Service Pack 3. The build # is 10.50.6000.34 and you can download it here. This is essentially a rollup of all of the fixes from the 13 cumulative updates for this branch (if you want to get a complete list of fixes, start at KB #2730301). For the fixes specific to SP3, see KB #2979597. There are only two issues officially listed in addition to the cumulative update fixes; these include the security fixes from MS14-044 (also see the Release Services blog post).

There is no independent service pack release for SQL Server 2008 R2 Express; however, you should be able to apply the standard Service Pack 3 against any eligible instance. Also, Service Pack 3 will not be published using Microsoft Update.

Important note: this will be the last service release of any kind for SQL Server 2008 R2 (there will be no cumulative updates for SP3). So if you are not moving to 2012 and were waiting for some sign to deploy fixes, this may be it.

My usual disclaimer: this update is NOT for SQL Server 2008 (or SQL Server 2012). Only apply to systems where SELECT @@VERSION returns 10.50.xxxx, where xxxx is < 6000.  

Aaron Bertrand

I am a passionate technologist with industry experience dating back to Classic ASP and SQL Server 6.5. I am a long-time Microsoft MVP, write at SQLPerformance and MSSQLTips, and have had the honor of speaking at more conferences than I can remember. In non-tech life, I am a father of two, a huge hockey and football fan, and my pronouns are he/him. If I've helped you out, consider thanking me with a coffee. :-)

15 Responses

  1. Olga says:

    Thank you for answering.
    In my case the data file is growing.
    The biggest tables are:
    snapshots.perfomance_couner_value       14 GB
    snapshots.os_wait_stats                 7 GB
    snapshots.os_memory_checks              2 GB
    snapshots.os_virtual_file_stats        542 MB
    Recovery model remains simple. Log file is manageable.
    Before SP3 applying MDW database was 600 MB altogether with 0 growth.
    Fist month after SP3 implementing MDW database grew by 9 GB.
    Now it grows slower but still much faster then in pre SP3 time.
    mdw_puge_data job works fine.
    I even reduced retaining period from 366 days to 60. No free space in database appeared.
    Thank you for taking time to look into the case.
    Cheers

  2. AaronBertrand says:

    @Olga sorry, don't know, haven't touched MDW in ages, but you should determine what part of the database is growing – if it's the data file, watch table growth in sys.partitions to see what is growing so rapidly, and if it's the log file, check to see if the upgrade might have changed the recovery model, log backups have been stopped, or if there is a reason the log file can't be reused.

  3. Olga says:

    Hi Aaron,
    I have an issue with MDW after SQL Server 2008 R2 SP3 applying. MDW database started to grow by several GB a month. Before that the MDW database practically had zero growth.
    I am wondering if I am the only person with such a problem?
    Will appreciate any help.
    Thank you.

  4. Karthikeyan Ganesan says:

    Even after applying SP3 and 1236 Trace Flag On i am seeing High LOCK_HASH. what will be the reason?
    SQL 2008 R2 SP2 CU5
    ——————————————————————————-
            name collisions spins spins_per_collision sleep_time backoffs
    Before Run LOCK_HASH 13189 15799747 1197.949 15 4119
    After Run LOCK_HASH 25814771 9997979408 387.2968 11304 2386031
    SQL 2008 R2 SP3
    ——————————————————————————
    name collisions spins spins_per_collision sleep_time backoffs
    Before Run LOCK_HASH 5315 10747923 2022.187 15 1977
    After Run LOCK_HASH 33115495 12180347476 367.8141 12460 2560343

  5. AaronBertrand says:

    @f fox sorry, no idea.

  6. f fox says:

    Will sp3 download foe sql 2008 R2 resolve sql browser error message 8?

  7. Vikas says:

    I have installed the SP3, however in between I have received one issue as NTservice could not start. Not sure the reason but the NW team was working some port changes. When I tried to start the SQL it did not and was asking for some resourcefile not available. Then I tried copying that file from UAT env and could able to start the SQL. But when I tried to login, I got message like "DB is in script upgrade mode, Only administrator can login". Without any option I had uninstalled it. Then after a restart I have installed the SP3 once again, it got succeeded. However when I try to use the applications, so many places I have received the error like " The instance of the SQL Server Database Engine cannot obtain a LOCK resource at this time. Rerun your statement when there are fewer active users. Ask the database administrator to check the lock and memory configuration for this instance, or to check for long-running transactions.****" . without any option, I had uninstalled the SP3 and then it started working. Any clue what could have gone wrong, as the same SP3 applied on UAT and has worked beautifully.

  8. AaronBertrand says:

    @Scott I haven't tested it, and I'm not sure that Report Builder will launch in that scenario (it may not have been an update to SSRS directly that causes the problem, and I'm not familiar enough with that configuration or the issue to give you a thumbs up, sorry).

  9. Scott says:

    Have a question about this, we have a reporting instance (SQL 2008 R2 SP2) that has DB Engine, SSRS, SSIS, & SSAS.  Would report builder still work if I only upgraded the DB Engine, SSIS & SSAS to SP3? In other words leave SSRS at SP2. Any issues with this?

  10. Brad B. says:

    One issue identified with SQL 2008 R2 SP3 if you use SSRS Report Builder, and have previously installed SP2: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlreleaseservices/archive/2014/10/16/report-builder-of-sql-server-2008-r2-service-pack-3-does-not-launch.aspx
    Listed as will not fix.  The server-side workaround is to *uninstall SP2* before installing SP3.

  11. Shaik says:

    Yes, reboot is required.

  12. todd says:

    does sql server 2008 r2 sp3 require a reboot or restart of mssql?

  13. Eugene Karpovich says:

    And, as Paul White confirmed, the nasty RCSI bug has been fixed in this build.
    (http://sqlperformance.com/2014/07/sql-lock-block-deadlock/2008-r2-bug-fix-breaks-rcsi)

  14. AaronBertrand says:

    You're right Chris, I've added that info (I was a little cautious mentioning it since the KB doesn't currently list it).

  15. Chris Wood says:

    Also includes the MS14-044 security fix.