David Adamson's Blog

SQL Server 2000 error 7391 on Windows Server 2003 SP1

Server: Msg 7391, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
The operation could not be performed because the OLE DB provider 'SQLOLEDB' was unable to begin a distributed transaction. OLE/DB provider returned message: New transaction cannot enlist in the specified transaction coordinator.

The default MS DTC configuration under Windows Server 2003 is to have network access disabled. This stops the ability to run transactions across linked servers from MS SQL Server 2000.

Microsoft refers to this error in KB329332 and has a procedure to enable MS DTC network access for Windows Server 2003, however it seems that the dialog box referred to has changed in Service Pack 1.

Another article, KB899191 explains the new functionality in the Distributed Transaction Coordinator fo Windows 2003 SP1 and Windows XP SP2. You now have the ability to enable both inbound and outbound network access as well as the authentication level. If the linked servers you are trying to access are not Windows 2003 SP1 also, the only authentication level that will work is the "No Authentication Required" option.

In summary, the steps to enable MS DTC network access in Windows 2003 are:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Component Services.
2. In the Component Services Wizard, expand Component Services, and then double-click Computers.
3. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
4. Click the MS DTC tab, and then click Security Configuration.
5. In the Security Configuration dialog box, click to select the Network DTC Access check box.
6. (Windows 2003 only) Under Network DTC Access, click Network Transactions.
   (Windows 2003 SP1 only) Under Network DTC Access, select Allow Inbound and/or Allow Outbound depending on whether the server is initiating or receiving the request. Select No Authentication Required if the linked servers are not also running Windows 2003 SP1.
7. Make sure that DTC Logon Account is set to NT Authority\NetworkService.
8. Click OK.
9. In the message box, click Yes to continue.
10. In the DTC Console Message dialog box, click OK.
11. In the System Properties dialog box, click OK.
12. Reboot the computer for these changes to take effect.