Occasional empty folders in Object Explorer tree in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

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Occasional empty folders in Object Explorer tree in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

Miłosz 20

I'm using Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Express and Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 19.1 on a fresh Windows 11 Pro installation.

From time to time, after connecting to a server in Management Studio (localdb or sqlexpress instance), I don't see any objects in Object Explorer tree (for example I can see the Databases folder, but it's empty inside). There are no any visible errors and I can still see the databases in available databases dropdown list above the object explorer and use them when creating a new query.

Reconnecting to the database doesn't help. Application restart is needed to get rid of the problem.

The whole situation is totally random. I can't see any patterns and it seems that the probability of the issue is something like 10%.

Also, from time to time, when launching Management Studio, I get an error saying that there's a problem with the user settings file ("Unable to process the existing user settings and will overwrite the file with user settings from this session").

I don't know if these two issues are connected, but it's possible.

What can I do? How can I diagnoze the problem or fix it? Thank you for any help.

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Erland Sommarskog 121.8K MVP Volunteer Moderator

Posts about SSMS misbehaving are certainly not uncommon in these forums. However, these symptoms are nothing that I recognise.

I can't say have much ideas for any of them. What I would try with the OE case is to start up Profiler with a filter to capture what SSMS emits. Then I would right-click on the Database node or which other node that is empty and select Refresh. Does SSMS run a query? Not I am sure what we would do with this information in either case.

As for the settings file, are you running some antivirus (other than Windows Defender) or some other "special" software? The symptoms does sort of suggest a conflict with some other program.

Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-09T15:53:07.63+00:00
I'm pretty sure it's the most mysterious issue I've ever encountered.

I used the profiler:

when trying to refresh the "Databases" node with the issue present, there are no any queries running (opposite to "normal" situation, when there is one),

on the other hand, the queries SSMS is running while connecting to the server are the same in those two situations.

I've also reinstalled the operating system again:

clean installation of Windows 11 PRO + critical and required drivers from the motherboard producer,

SQL Server 2022 (with windows authentication only) + SSMS 19.1 .

Nothing changed.

Also, I've tried to install and use the previous version of SSMS (18.12.1). The issue is still present, but this time I'm getting an error when trying to open a node:

Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio: Value cannot be null. Parameter name: viewInfo

I don't know if it's the same problem, but it looks like that (maybe the newest version is just silent about it).

I don't use any antiviruses or special/weird software. The only thing I can think of is the fact, that I replaced my old Samsung Evo 970 SSD with the new 990 Pro, but I'm not sure if the issue appeared now or was present before (didn't use management studio for some time). Also, I haven't detected any issues with other software or windows itself.

I'm really baffled:)
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-09T20:42:57.76+00:00

One of these Samsung EVO SSD models is known to cause problems when installing SQL Server itslf, but that has nothing to do with SSMS.

If you would happen to be in a corporate environment, you could try to persuade your IT department to open a support case. But if this is a private machine, that door is closed.

Have you used SSMS against other SQL Server instances with the same effect? (Not that I see why the instance would matter.)

When I said "special" software I also had in mind backup software that reacts on changed files. That could possiblyl explain the issues with the Settings file, but not what you see in Object Explorer. For that issue, I have no idea. Interesting that just stops reacting.
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-09T21:53:29.7633333+00:00

I tried to use SSMS against a localdb instance that comes with Visual Studio 2022 Community (it's a SQL Server Express 2019 localdb). The issues remain.

Regarding special software - I don't use any backuping systems and don't auto-synchronize local files with onedrive.
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-10T20:46:42.1833333+00:00

I think the best recommendation I can give is to submit a bug on https://feedback.azure.com/d365community/forum/04fe6ee0-3b25-ec11-b6e6-000d3a4f0da0. Try to be as detailed as possible, more detailed than you have been here. Since it is very difficult for Microsoft to troubleshoot this on a distance, I would have high hopes, but at least a bug report raises awareness about the issue.

Although, I will need to confess that I can escape the suspicion that there is something "unusual" about your machine, although I have no idea of what it might be.
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-12T21:11:13.0166667+00:00

I got a tip from a fellow MVP: you can create a full memory dump of SSMS that you can attach to your feedback item. Well, I am not sure that you can attach objects directly, but you could store the dump somewhere and add a link. Obviously, you would take the dump when you have this condition.

See https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/troubleshoot/get-full-memory-dump?view=sql-server-ver16
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-13T15:51:41.6466667+00:00

I've submitted these issues here: https://feedback.azure.com/d365community/idea/c6a2ccf0-5268-ee11-a81c-002248544521, but still waiting for a response.

I'm willing to share a memory dump, but for security reasons, I won't post the link to download it publicly.

Anyway, it's really, really weird. And I mean it:) When I try to google this phrase: "Unable to process the existing user settings and will overwrite the file with user settings from this session" (with quotes), I'm only getting two results and one of them is mine... The second one is rather similar bug found in Azure Data Studio (https://github.com/microsoft/azuredatastudio/issues/24221).

Update: well, I missed one detail - this issue from github and Azure Data Studio is connected to Database Administration Tool Extensions for Windows, which, as I presume, just loads SSMS windows/engine components. And, surprise, I've got the same issues with XML settings file in Azure Data Studio (still random).
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-13T20:49:18.0733333+00:00

Don't hold your breath on waiting for a response. The feedback site is more like "let Microsoft know". They may reply, but that does not always happen. And I would say that it is even less likely to happen if there is no information on how to reproduce the issue.

I am not sure that the method to produce a memory dump would for you - I did not read the instructions closely myself. But if it is, the availability of that dump would certainly increase the chances for a response.

As for the settings file, if you are using ADS with that extension and SSMS in parallel, could that explain that conflict?
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-13T22:01:34.15+00:00

Basically, I'm getting the same error as here: https://github.com/microsoft/azuredatastudio/issues/24221, even with SSMS uninstalled from system.

The error is random and I'm able to reproduce it by trying to show database properties multiple times. Here are the screenshots showing this:

https://imgur.com/zVSOFKj

https://imgur.com/rF2KEO7

I presume that ADS is using the same common/shared components as SSMS itself, that's why the same exception shows up, but to be honest I'm only guessing, because I don't have enough knowledge regarding ADS/SSMS/VS architecture.
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-14T09:34:49.3766667+00:00

I installed the extension, but I did not get that error.

I looked at the bug report, and I see that in Alex's case there seems to be an error in the XML document. This may be the case for you as well, but I could not find bląd in my dictionary, so I am not sure. But assuming that you have the same error as Alex, in the error message there are two numbers in parentheses, (2,2) in your case. I would take this to be row and column number where the error was detected. It seems like a good idea to open the file in a text editor and scrutinize the XML. If the error is already on the second line, it seems like a major error.

By the way, in one of the screenshots I noticed a version number 16.0.1105.1. I don't see what this is the version number for, but it looks like it is the version number for SQL Sever 2022. In that case, you are on the RTM version with some GDRs on top of it. You should download and install the most recent Cumulative Update to get access to important bug fixes and enhancements. However, it will not affect your current problems with SSMS.
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-14T10:49:46.12+00:00

Considering the issue with settings XML it seems that the problem lies in saving the file, not in loading it. Randomly, after closing SSMS, the UserSettings.xml isn't saved correctly and it's truncated. That's why there's an error on startup.

Weird thing is that sometimes it's not the case and the UserSettings.xml file seems to be completely fine (not truncated), but the error shows up anyway. The difference is that the row and column values are (0,0) this time.
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-14T11:39:38.02+00:00

In that case, there is probably an error with it anyway. Take a look at the file in a hex editor.

The file not being saved correctly could possibly be attributed to your new disk, but if the disk is the culprit, you would have these sort of errors all over your machine.
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-15T13:18:15.3333333+00:00

The randomness of these issues made me think that it could have something to do with multithreading and/or unfinished IO operations etc.

So I set a CPU affinity for ssms.exe task and allowed it to only use one thread (CPU0). After manually changing affinity like 10 times and seeing that there are no errors, with the help of the Internet I created a shortcut that runs ssms.exe via cmd with affnity set automatically to CPU0 only:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start "SSMS" /Normal /affinity 1 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 19\Common7\IDE\Ssms.exe"

I've started SSMS more than 100 times and both issues are gone.
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-15T13:52:38.1133333+00:00

Well, at least you found a solution! Although it does not sound like the best one. But may the disk is the culprit after all. But why does not other programs have issues it?
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-15T14:47:43.43+00:00

Yes, it's not the best solution, it's rather a step in diagnosing the problem itself.

I'm leaning towards the opinion, that it's some kind of a bug in SSMS programming, which is manifesting in combination with specific hardware/driver/software setup. But I'm just guessing, to be honest.
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-17T17:40:20.82+00:00

Good news, I know what's wrong.

It worked with one core/thread because I didn't test it on core #2... My CPU's third core is probably degraded and it's throwing errors when its frequency is greater than 5500Mhz (even on default BIOS setup without XMP, no OC or undervolting). Core i9-13900k allows to clock two cores to 5800Mhz if some conditions are met. That was it.

It seems that SSMS was just a good test to diagnose this issue.

Anyway, I've changed some bios settings and limited the turbo boost to 5500Mhz. Issues are gone.

Thank you for your time! It was great to be able to try to diagnose this horrible thing with your help:)
Erland Sommarskog 121.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-17T20:59:18.1066667+00:00

So you admit that you are overclocking? :--) I played game with the first computers that I built, but not longer.

Hm, wonder how many other "funny" errors that I see with SSMS or Setup that are related to overclocking...
Miłosz 20 Reputation points

2023-10-17T23:08:16.63+00:00

No, I wrote that these issues with core #2 are also present on default bios settings without any kind of OC or asus enhanced modes (including XMP). 5500Mhz on all cores and 5800Mhz on two cores (when only two cores are used, under some conditions) is included in 13900k specs (in the form of intel turbo boost technologies).

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Occasional empty folders in Object Explorer tree in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

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