Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2 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 Service Pack 2 fix release.
Symptoms
When you use Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 or for Microsoft SQL Server 2012 to change linked Server properties, you may receive the following error message:
An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)Ad hoc updates to system catalogs are not allowed. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 259)
Cause
This issue occurs because the SSMS GUI generates a statement that updates the [master].[dbo].[sysservers] system table. However, that system table is not supported in SQL Server 2005 and later-released versions of SQL Server. In those versions, the sys.servers system view replaces the sysservers system table.
Resolution
Cumulative update information
SQL Server 2012
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 4. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2012, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2758687 Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2012 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 2012 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:
2692828 The SQL Server 2012 builds that were released after SQL Server 2012 was released
SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 2. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2740411 Cumulative update package 2 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2Note 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 Service Pack 2 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:
2730301 The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2 was released
Status
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
More Information
For more information about the mapping between the sysservers system table and the sys.servers system view, go to the following MSDN website:
