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DB_E_SCHEMAVIOLATION
Exact value and interpretation
DB_E_SCHEMAVIOLATION has the unsigned 32-bit value 2147749379 (0x80040E03) and the signed representation -2147217917. AllStat defines the result as “Values violate the database schema”. In the concrete failure represented here, a row insert, update or definition operation supplies values that violate the data source schema.
The high bit is set for it, so it is a failure HRESULT rather than a success or informational status. Its facility field is 4 (FACILITY_ITF) and its low code is 3587 (0x0E03). Those bit fields place this result in an interface-defined family, but they do not reveal the provider, object identity, method, rowset generation or command state that produced it.
OLE DB contract boundary
This result must be interpreted against this contract: OLE DB schema contracts combine DBIDs, provider type metadata, column attributes, constraints and locale rules; current provider metadata is authoritative; cached ordinals or type assumptions can become invalid after a schema or command change.
Start with the table, column, parameter or schema object named by the failing definition or data operation when investigating this result. Preserve it before ADO, ATL,.NET, a database abstraction layer or an application exception replaces it with a generic message; the exact interface and method matter because one OLE DB object can expose several contracts with different preconditions.
Diagnostic sequence
- Capture this result immediately at the native OLE DB return and obtain the current OLE DB error object before another COM call replaces thread error information.
- Identify the exact stage for it: a row insert, update or definition operation supplies values that violate the data source schema.
- compare the live command, rowset, accessor or schema state with the metadata and properties actually granted by the provider.
- inspect per-binding, per-property, per-row or per-record statuses whenever the method supplies them; the aggregate result may not identify the rejected element.
- reproduce the issue with the smallest command, rowset or definition operation that preserves the same contract boundary.
- apply one evidence-backed correction, then verify that the operation succeeds and does not merely change into a nearby HRESULT.
Specific conditions that produce it
- Cause 1 for it: a required column is omitted or receives NULL.
- Cause 2 for it: a value exceeds a declared length, domain or check restriction.
- Cause 3 for it: the submitted column set conflicts with provider-specific schema rules not represented by the consumer model.
Evidence to collect before changing the system
A useful it record includes provider CLSID and version, process architecture, interface and method, COM apartment and thread, object correlation ID, transaction state, and the first preceding HRESULT. When it involves table names, column values, keys, constraints and provider-specific type declarations, record types, lengths, hashes or redacted identifiers instead of secrets or full business data.
- Evidence 1 for it: the table and column identifiers involved in the operation.
- Evidence 2 for it: column metadata for nullability, length, type and default values.
- Evidence 3 for it: OLE DB error records and per-column status values identifying the violated rule.
Corrective actions
- Action 1 for it: refresh schema metadata before constructing bindings and values.
- Action 2 for it: validate required fields and domain restrictions before sending the row.
- Action 3 for it: preserve provider diagnostics so the exact schema rule can be corrected instead of guessing.
Retry and recovery policy
Retry rule for it: retry only after the submitted values or schema have changed to satisfy the reported rule. A safe it retry must use a changed input, object generation, provider capability or state transition. If the call returning it could have created, updated, deleted or copied data, determine partial completion before replaying it.
Use bounded retries and preserve cancellation. Configuration and contract failures should normally fail fast; concurrency, resource or transient state failures may justify retry only after their stated precondition changes.
Difference from related HRESULT values
DB_E_INTEGRITYVIOLATION focuses on an integrity constraint for a column or table, while it is the broader mismatch with the data source schema. Keep these outcomes separate in telemetry and user-facing remediation because it requires a different next action.
Practical incident
A deployment adds a NOT NULL column but an older client continues inserting the previous column set; refreshing metadata and supplying the new field resolves it. The diagnostic value comes from retaining it together with the failing interface and object state, not from reducing every provider result to “database error”.
Implementation guidance
Code handling it should release OLE DB resources in ownership order, preserve every provider error record, and log granted properties rather than only requested properties. When handling it, handles such as HACCESSOR, HROW, HCHAPTER and provider-specific region tokens must never be treated as portable integers across object lifetimes.
When it crosses an abstraction boundary, attach a stable correlation ID and structured fields for the native HRESULT, provider source, interface IID, method, object generation and operation phase. Do not log passwords, access tokens, complete SQL text or unrestricted row values merely to make the event easier to search.
Official Microsoft references
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