Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 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 R2 fix release.
Consider the following scenario:
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You run Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, or Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 on a computer that has eight or more CPUs.
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You run a query that uses a ranking function and a parallel execution plan.
For example, the query uses the ROW_NUMBER, RANK, NTILE, or DENSE_RANK ranking function, and you set the Max Degree of Parallelism option to 4 in server configuration.
In this scenario, the query may return different results every time that you run the query.
Note This issue may occur in one of the following situations:
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You set the MAXDOP query hint option to a value that is greater than 2.
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You set the Max Degree of Parallelism option to a value that is greater than 2.
Symptoms
Service pack information
To resolve this issue, obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2008 R2, and then enable the 4134 trace flag.
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2527041 How to obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2008 R2For more information about how to switch on the 4134 trace flag, visit the following MSDN website:
Resolution
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
Status
For more information about ranking functions, visit the following MSDN website:
General information about ranking functionsFor more information about parallel query processing, visit the following MSDN website:
General information about parallel query processingFor more information about the max degree of parallelism option, visit the following TechNet website:
General information about the max degree of parallelism option
