What does HRESULT 0x80040E5B (DB_E_PENDINGINSERT) mean?

DB_E_PENDINGINSERT

Most recent data for a newly inserted row could not be retrieved because the insert is pending

Exact value and result class

DB_E_PENDINGINSERT has unsigned value 2147749467 (0x80040E5B) and signed 32-bit value -2147217829. AllStat describes it as “Most recent data for a newly inserted row could not be retrieved because the insert is pending”. In this result, a consumer asks for current provider data for a row whose insert still exists only as a deferred pending change.

The high bit is set, so DB_E_PENDINGINSERT is a failure HRESULT. Its facility is 4 (FACILITY_ITF) and its low code is 3675 (0x0E5B). For DB_E_PENDINGINSERT, these fields identify an interface-defined result family; they do not identify the provider instance, method, object generation or partial effects.

Contract boundary

For DB_E_PENDINGINSERT, deferred-update rowsets retain pending inserts, updates and deletes until IRowsetUpdate::Update or Undo resolves them. For DB_E_PENDINGINSERT, rows with reference count zero can remain active solely because pending state still exists, and provider limits can count those rows.

Investigation of DB_E_PENDINGINSERT should start with the rowset generation, HROW state, pending-status array and granted update properties. Capture DB_E_PENDINGINSERT before ADO, ATL, .NET or a database abstraction layer replaces the native HRESULT with a generic exception.

Evidence to collect

A useful DB_E_PENDINGINSERT event records provider CLSID and version, process architecture, interface IID and method, object correlation ID, transaction state and the immediately preceding HRESULT. When recording DB_E_PENDINGINSERT data involving changed row values, keys and original-value snapshots, use types, lengths, hashes or redacted identifiers rather than secrets or complete business data.

• Evidence 1 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: pending status for the HROW.
• Evidence 2 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: whether Update attempted and succeeded for that row.
• Evidence 3 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: column statuses for defaults, identities and computed values.

Conditions that specifically lead to this result

• Cause 1 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: IRowsetUpdate::Update has not transmitted the new row.
• Cause 2 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: a resynchronization path runs before the insert batch is committed.
• Cause 3 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: the provider-generated values do not exist until insertion reaches the data store.

Diagnostic sequence

1. Capture raw 0x80040E5B and symbolic DB_E_PENDINGINSERT at the native call boundary.
2. Identify the exact failing stage for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: a consumer asks for current provider data for a row whose insert still exists only as a deferred pending change.
3. Retrieve all OLE DB error records for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT before another COM call replaces thread error information.
4. Compare the live object state and provider-granted capabilities with the input that produced DB_E_PENDINGINSERT.
5. Reduce the DB_E_PENDINGINSERT operation to the smallest case that preserves the same update contract.
6. Apply one evidence-backed correction for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT and verify that the result is not merely replaced by a neighboring HRESULT.

Retry and recovery

Retry rule for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: retry the refresh after the pending insert has been successfully transmitted. A DB_E_PENDINGINSERT retry is safe only when the relevant input, object generation, capability or external state has changed. Before replaying a modifying call that returned DB_E_PENDINGINSERT, determine whether rows, schema objects or URL resources were partially created or changed.

Do not turn DB_E_PENDINGINSERT into an unbounded retry loop. Preserve cancellation for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT and use a fresh provider object when the failed call may have left local state ambiguous.

Corrective actions

• Action 1 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: transmit the pending insert before requesting most recent data.
• Action 2 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: inspect per-row status from Update.
• Action 3 for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT: delay identity or computed-column reads until the provider confirms insertion.

Practical scenario

A UI requests the server identity value immediately after a deferred InsertRow; updating the row first makes the value available. Keeping DB_E_PENDINGINSERT with the method and object state makes this scenario diagnosable instead of reducing it to “database error”.

Developer and operations guidance

Code handling DB_E_PENDINGINSERT should release COM objects in ownership order, retain per-row, per-column or per-property statuses, and log granted capabilities rather than only requested options. While handling DB_E_PENDINGINSERT, opaque values such as HACCESSOR, HROW, HCHAPTER, DBID components and provider handles must remain scoped to the object that issued them.

Operational dashboards for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT should group by provider version, interface, method and normalized failure stage. A DB_E_PENDINGINSERT event must not expose passwords, tokens, full connection strings, unrestricted command text or raw row contents.

Difference from nearby HRESULT values

DB_E_NEWLYINSERTED concerns operations restricted on an already transmitted new row, while DB_E_PENDINGINSERT concerns a row not yet transmitted. Telemetry and remediation for DB_E_PENDINGINSERT should keep these outcomes distinct.

Official Microsoft references

• Microsoft: IRowsetUpdate — official documentation relevant to DB_E_PENDINGINSERT.
• Microsoft: deferred-update row states — official documentation relevant to DB_E_PENDINGINSERT.
• Microsoft: IRowsetChange::InsertRow — official documentation relevant to DB_E_PENDINGINSERT.

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