FIX: You may receive an incorrect result when you run a query that uses the ROW_NUMBER function together with a left outer join in SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2

Article ID: 2433265 - View products that this article applies to.
Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2008 fixes as one downloadable file. Because the fixes are cumulative, each new release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 fix release.
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SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario.
  • You have a query that uses the ROW_NUMBER function together with a left outer join in Microsoft SQL Server 2008.
  • You create a SELECT statement that uses the query as a subquery and that returns unique rows by using the DISTINCT keyword.
  • You run this SELECT statement.
In this scenario, you may receive an incorrect result. The left outer join is incorrectly ignored.

Note For more information about how to reproduce this issue, see the "Steps to reproduce this issue" subsection in the "More information" section.
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RESOLUTION

Cumulative update information

SQL Server 2008 R2

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 6. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2008 R2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2489376
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2489376/ )
Cumulative Update package 6 for SQL Server 2008 R2
Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
981356
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/981356/ )
The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 was released

SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 11 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1.

For more information about this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2413738
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2413738/LN/ )
Cumulative update package 11 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1
Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 fix release. Microsoft recommends that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
970365
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/970365/LN/ )
The SQL Server 2008 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 was released
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 hotfixes are created for specific SQL Server service packs. You must apply a SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 hotfix to an installation of SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1. By default, any hotfix that is provided in a SQL Server service pack is included in the next SQL Server service pack.

SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 2 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2. For more information about this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2467239
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2467239/LN/ )
Cumulative update package 2 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2
Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 fix release. Microsoft recommends that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2402659
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2402659/LN/ )
The SQL Server 2008 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 was released
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 hotfixes are created for specific SQL Server service packs. You must apply a SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2 hotfix to an installation of SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2. By default, any hotfix that is provided in a SQL Server service pack is included in the next SQL Server service pack.
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STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
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MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce this issue

  1. Run the following statements. These statements create two tables and insert some data into the tables.
    create table A (a1 int)

    create table B (b1 int)



    insert into A values(1)

    insert into B values(1)

    insert into B values(1)
  2. Run the following statement. This statement uses the ROW_NUMBER function together with a left outer join. 
    select a1, row_number() over (partition by a1 order by a1) as a3

    from A

    left join B ON A.a1 = B.b1
  3. Run the following statement. This statement uses the query in step 2 as a subquery:
    select distinct a1, a3

    from (

          select a1, row_number() over (partition by a1 order by a1) as a3

          from A

          left join B ON A.a1 = B.b1

    ) as x
Note The query in step 3 returns an incorrect result when this issue occurs.
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REFERENCES

For more information about the ROW_NUMBER function and outer joins, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) websites:
For more information about the Incremental Servicing Model for SQL Server, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
935897
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935897/ )
An Incremental Servicing Model is available from the SQL Server team to deliver hotfixes for reported problems
For more information about the naming schema for SQL Server updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
822499
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822499/ )
New naming schema for Microsoft SQL Server software update packages
For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824684/ )
Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
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Properties

Article ID: 2433265 - Last Review: February 21, 2011 - Revision: 3.0
APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Enterprise
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Standard
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Workgroup
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Developer
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Workgroup
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Developer
Keywords: 
kbautohotfix kbqfe kbhotfixserver kbfix KB2433265
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