Merge replication, not staying in sync

Hi,
I am running SQL Server 2000 with SP3a. I have a database with a merge
publication that merges the contents of several tables every 2 hours as the
data is updated on both the publisher and the subscriber. I validate all
subscriptions twice a week to ensure they are in sync. On Friday I removed
two columns from a table that has roughly 50 columns. I did this by going to
the properties of the merge publication and dropping the two columns through
the publication interface. This propagated to all servers and all was well.
I came in this Monday, and validated my tables (last time was Friday morning
- successful) and the binary checksum was off and they table I dropped the
two columns from failed validation. I checked the conflict viewer and no
conflicts were shown. The changes seem to be pushing properly from the
subscriber to the publisher, but then they do not flow on to the other
subscribers. I'm thinking that possibly the insert/update/delete triggers
for the merge replication are no longer correct or something but I am not
entirely sure. I am contemplating reinitializing these subscriptions, but I
wondered if anyone had heard of this or had any ideas for a solution so I can
avoid taking this database offline to reinitialize the subcribers.
Thanks,
Paul T.
Hi Paul,
We have recently released a QFE for a bug that would cause data
non-convergence after dropping columns in a table. You can contact Product
Support to make sure you are running into the same bug, and if so, to get
information about getting the QFE. This bug will also be fixed in the
upcoming SP4.
Thanks
Ram Singh
"Paul T." wrote:

> Hi,
> I am running SQL Server 2000 with SP3a. I have a database with a merge
> publication that merges the contents of several tables every 2 hours as the
> data is updated on both the publisher and the subscriber. I validate all
> subscriptions twice a week to ensure they are in sync. On Friday I removed
> two columns from a table that has roughly 50 columns. I did this by going to
> the properties of the merge publication and dropping the two columns through
> the publication interface. This propagated to all servers and all was well.
> I came in this Monday, and validated my tables (last time was Friday morning
> - successful) and the binary checksum was off and they table I dropped the
> two columns from failed validation. I checked the conflict viewer and no
> conflicts were shown. The changes seem to be pushing properly from the
> subscriber to the publisher, but then they do not flow on to the other
> subscribers. I'm thinking that possibly the insert/update/delete triggers
> for the merge replication are no longer correct or something but I am not
> entirely sure. I am contemplating reinitializing these subscriptions, but I
> wondered if anyone had heard of this or had any ideas for a solution so I can
> avoid taking this database offline to reinitialize the subcribers.
> Thanks,
> Paul T.