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hrColumnIndexed
Interpretation in ESE terms
hrColumnIndexed means a column cannot be removed because one or more indexes reference it.
This is the legacy Directory Service backup/restore HRESULT form of JET_errColumnIndexed (0xC80005E1).
The key comparison is: hrColumnInUse is broader; this result directly identifies index dependency during deletion. The first useful observation is to enumerate index segments and conditional columns that depend on the column.
The ESE objects in play
| Diagnostic layer | column schema, row-size accounting, tagged/multivalued storage, and column identifiers |
|---|---|
| Typical API surface | JetAddColumn, JetDeleteColumn, JetSetColumn, JetRetrieveColumn, and JET_COLUMNDEF |
| Code-specific condition | a column cannot be removed because one or more indexes reference it |
| First corrective direction | drop or rebuild dependent indexes before deleting the column, with rollback-safe migration steps |
Null, zero-length, deletion, and missing multivalue instances are distinct states. Fixed, variable, tagged, and long-value columns consume row space differently.
Comparison with adjacent failures
hrColumnInUse | a schema change targets a column that an index or other active definition still depends on |
|---|---|
hrColumnLong | a supplied value exceeds the operation or column path intended for ordinary-sized data |
hrColumnDuplicate | column creation reused a name already defined in the table |
What to capture before retrying
- Code-specific observation: enumerate index segments and conditional columns that depend on the column.
- the encoded value length, null/empty state, and itag sequence.
- the complete row-size contribution from fixed, variable, tagged, and long-value data.
- JET_COLUMNDEF fields, flags, code page, maximum length, and column ID origin.
Actions that can hide or worsen the problem
- Do not alter the column schema in place without a migration and rollback plan.
Operational response
- Freeze the failing request context and record
0xC80005E1, the Jet API name, and the current instance/session ownership. - Verify the code-specific precondition: enumerate index segments and conditional columns that depend on the column.
- Apply the targeted fix: drop or rebuild dependent indexes before deleting the column, with rollback-safe migration steps.
Technical references
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