Problems re adding expired subscriptions

  • Hi, We have a merge replication setup that merge replicates audit info from 85 2k and 2k5 servers to 1 2k5 central server. The problem is, that replication stopped working on a number of the servers (not sure why) and by the time this was spotted, a number of the subscriptions had expired and had been cleared off by the replication tidy up job.

    The problem is, when we try to re create the subscription we get the error:

    Msg 14058, Level 16, State 1, Procedure sp_addmergesubscription, Line 381

    Cannot create the subscription because the subscription already exists in the subscription database. Only one subscription to the same publication is allowed in each subscription database. Drop the subscription and add it again if necessary. If the problem persists, replication metadata might be incorrect; see Books Online for troubleshooting information.

    The thing is, there appears to be no subscription for the server visible off the publication node and the subscription server has not entries in the subscribers node.

    How do I reset things for this subscriber without loosing all the existing working subscriptions currently on the server. We've so far lost about 20 servers from the list.

    Hope someone can help.

  • I have found a way to fix this problem without having to drop and re create the whole publication / subscribers. In the sysmergereplication table on the publisher db, remove the row for the expired subscriber subscription.

    delete from sysmergesubscriptions

    where subscriber_server =

    Once this row has been removed you can then re add the subscriber using sp_addmergesubscription setting the @sync_type = N'None' which will prevent any new un replicated data being lost on the subscriber.

    This all appears to work but seems quite a scary way to fix things without using sys procedures to do the job for me.

    Any thoughts from anyone?

  • I have had that problem in the past

    most of the time if i go to the subscriber and drop it there it works

    2k5 lots of time will remove it from the publisher but leave stuff on the subscriber

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