SQL Server has always had nifty undocumented functions that are tempting to use. However, Microsoft has always urged users not to use those functions because they can change in future releases. For the most part, Microsoft hasn't changed undocumented behavior in a way that would cause problems if you had been sneaky and used some of the hidden features. SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4), however, will add limitations on what you can do with the undocumented extended stored procedures xp_regread and xp_regwrite. Perform an Internet search for xp_regread or xp_regwrite and you'll find dozens of sites that will teach you how to use those procedures to read from and write to the registry. Starting in SP4, these procedures will work with only SQL Server's registry keys. I'm sure there are many people using these extended procedures who won't be pleased with the change, but we were warned. Historically, SQL Server users could get away with ignoring the don't-use-an-undocumented-feature rule. Using the features rarely burned us. Now, we'll have to change our way of thinking and stop using undocumented and unsupported features in our production code.
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Reader Comments
Well it would be nice if there was some other way of telling which physical node in a cluster an instance is running on than using xp_regread. Maybe if MS is going to cut this stuff off then they will provide approved ways of getting important useful information.
Anonymous User- July 28, 2005
Article Rating 3 out of 5
It appears that xp_regread still works for all registry keys as long as you have been granted the "System Administrator" Server Role.
I used the following example: declare @DomainName varchar(50) exec master.dbo.xp_regread 'HKey_Local_Machine', 'System\CurrentControlSet\Services\TCPIP\Parameters', 'Domain', @DomainName output select @DomainName
For a user that does not have the "System Administrators" Server Role the following error is received: Server: Msg 22001, Level 16, State 1, Line 0 xp_regread() returned error 5, 'Access is denied.'
RWhitehead- August 12, 2005
Article Rating 3 out of 5
Here is the Microsoft knowledge base article with a "fix".
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887165/
RWhitehead- August 15, 2005
Article Rating 3 out of 5
Good thing the CLR is in SQL 2005. You can still read the registry due to .Net. Still better yet, the CLR can read remote registries if you know what you're doing. Muha hah hah ahahahahaaahahahhahahhahahah!
