Server configuration: in-doubt xact resolution
Applies to: 
SQL Server
Azure SQL Managed Instance
SQL Server on Azure VM
Use the in-doubt xact resolution option to control the default outcome of transactions that the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC) is unable to resolve. Inability to resolve transactions might be related to the MS DTC down time or an unknown transaction outcome at the time of recovery.
The following table lists the possible outcome values for resolving an in-doubt transaction.
| Outcome value | Description |
|---|---|
0 |
No presumption. Recovery fails if MS DTC can't resolve any in-doubt transactions. |
1 |
Presume commit. Presumes that any MS DTC in-doubt transactions are committed. |
2 |
Presume abort. Presumes that any MS DTC in-doubt transactions are aborted. |
To minimize the possibility of extended down time, an administrator might choose to configure this option either to presume commit or presume abort, as shown in the following example.
sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
GO
RECONFIGURE;
GO
sp_configure 'in-doubt xact resolution', 2; -- presume abort
GO
RECONFIGURE;
GO
sp_configure 'show advanced options', 0;
GO
RECONFIGURE;
GO
Alternatively, the administrator might want to leave the default (no presumption) and allow recovery to fail in order to be made aware of a DTC failure, as shown in the following example.
sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
GO
RECONFIGURE;
GO
sp_configure 'in-doubt xact resolution', 1; -- presume commit
GO
RECONFIGURE
GO
ALTER DATABASE pubs SET ONLINE -- run recovery again
GO
sp_configure 'in-doubt xact resolution', 0 -- back to no assumptions
GO
sp_configure 'show advanced options', 0
GO
RECONFIGURE
GO
The in-doubt xact resolution option is an advanced option. If you use the sp_configure system stored procedure to change the setting, you can change in-doubt xact resolution only when show advanced options is set to 1. The setting takes effect immediately without a server restart.
Note
Consistent configuration of this option across all SQL Server instances involved in any distributed transactions helps avoid data inconsistencies.