After installing the November patchday updates, ODBC connections to SQL databases may fail. Microsoft announced this in the Windows Release Health Notes. The manufacturer does not name an interim solution.
Microsoft explains in the Release Health Notesthat after installing the updates, applications that establish ODBC connections using the Microsoft ODBC SQL Server Driver (sqlsrv32.dll) may no longer be able to access the database. Error messages such as “The EMS System encountered a problem” with “Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver] Protocol error in TDS Stream” or “Message: [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Unknown token received from SQL Server”.
Affected or not?
To find out whether the applications used are affected by the problem, Microsoft suggests a check. The apps to be tested that use databases would have to be started and then a command prompt opened. The command will help there
tasklist /m sqlsrv32.dll
list those applications that access the ODBC driver.
The error affects Windows desktop operating systems from Windows 7 SP1, through 8.1 and 10 to the current Windows 11. Windows servers from 2008 SP2 through 2012 to 2022 are also affected. However, Microsoft does not yet offer a solution. The developers are working on it, the manufacturer explains in the release health entry. If the error occurs, uninstalling the Windows update from November will help. Since the update closes security gaps, this is only advisable in an emergency.
Windows updates always have unwanted side effects. For example, the October updates caused SSL/TLS connection problems. On the other hand, Microsoft had released another patch to eliminate the problem.
(dmk)