Random MSDTC exception with WCF over MSMQ

Question

We have a service that is performing WCF calls over MSMQ using the NetMsmqBinding. Unfortunately we're seeing a random (every few days after thousands of calls) AccessViolationException coming out of the MSDTC service. This error is only happening on physically-older XP production systems and I can't re-create it in dev. I've even resorted to imaging and running actual production instances in VMs but everything runs solid for days. I've compared version numbers of every MSMQ and MSDTC-related dlls I can find and they all match. Windows Updates have been applied recently. The WCF endpoints are running with an single InstanceContextMode and the ConcurrencyMode is set to single as well.

Short of actually resolving the issue, is there anyway I can catch/recover from the following error?

Is there a way to keep the NetMsmqBinding from promoting the transaction? We're not using any other resources than the queues themselves.

The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.AccessViolationException
Stack:
   at System.Transactions.Oletx.IDtcProxyShimFactory.BeginTransaction(UInt32, System.Transactions.Oletx.OletxTransactionIsolationLevel, IntPtr, System.Guid ByRef, System.Transactions.Oletx.ITransactionShim ByRef)
   at System.Transactions.Oletx.OletxTransactionManager.CreateTransaction(System.Transactions.TransactionOptions)
   at System.Transactions.TransactionStatePromoted.EnterState(System.Transactions.InternalTransaction)
   at System.Transactions.EnlistableStates.Promote(System.Transactions.InternalTransaction)
   at System.Transactions.Transaction.Promote()
   at System.Transactions.TransactionInterop.ConvertToOletxTransaction(System.Transactions.Transaction)
   at System.Transactions.TransactionInterop.GetDtcTransaction(System.Transactions.Transaction)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqQueue.GetNativeTransaction(System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqTransactionMode)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqQueue.ReceiveCoreDtcTransacted(System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqQueueHandle, System.ServiceModel.Channels.NativeMsmqMessage, System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqTransactionMode, Int32)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqQueue.ReceiveCore(System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqQueueHandle, System.ServiceModel.Channels.NativeMsmqMessage, System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqTransactionMode, Int32)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqQueue.TryReceiveInternal(System.ServiceModel.Channels.NativeMsmqMessage, System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqTransactionMode, Int32)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqQueue.TryReceive(System.ServiceModel.Channels.NativeMsmqMessage, System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqTransactionMode)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqReceiveHelper.TryReceive(System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqInputMessage, System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqTransactionMode, System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqMessageProperty ByRef)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.MsmqInputChannelBase.TryReceive(System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.Message ByRef)
   at System.ServiceModel.Channels.SecurityChannelListener`1+SecurityInputChannel[[System.__Canon, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]].TryReceive(System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.Message ByRef)
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.InputChannelBinder.TryReceive(System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.RequestContext ByRef)
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ErrorHandlingReceiver.TryReceive(System.TimeSpan, System.ServiceModel.Channels.RequestContext ByRef)
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ChannelHandler.TryTransactionalReceive(System.Transactions.Transaction, System.ServiceModel.Channels.RequestContext ByRef)
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ChannelHandler.TransactedLoop()
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ChannelHandler.SyncTransactionalMessagePump()
   at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ChannelHandler.OnStartSyncMessagePump(System.Object)
   at System.Runtime.IOThreadScheduler+ScheduledOverlapped.IOCallback(UInt32, UInt32, System.Threading.NativeOverlapped*)
   at System.Runtime.Fx+IOCompletionThunk.UnhandledExceptionFrame(UInt32, UInt32, System.Threading.NativeOverlapped*)
   at System.Threading._IOCompletionCallback.PerformIOCompletionCallback(UInt32, UInt32, System.Threading.NativeOverlapped*)

do you know what line is failing can you post that portion of the code? — Mark W, Jul 22 '11 at 14:42
I haven't been able to recreate it let alone attach a debugger. The stack trace is from the event viewer and doesn't show any of my code. I don't know whether or not that means my code is involved or not. — mattmck, Jul 22 '11 at 14:50

Sixto Saez · Answer 1 · 2011-07-22T18:45:12.700

Your service is configured to run as a singleton instance. You may be having threading issues with DTC when the service is called under load by multiple clients. Unless you're absolutely certain that you need to run the service as a singleton and the service code is thread safe, you should use a InstanceContextMode of per call or per session (depending on the security config).

You could also try to mark the service operation method implementation with:

[OperationBehavior(TransactionScopeRequired = false)]

and also prevent code inside the method from enlisting in the ambient transaction MSMQ creates to process your message.

Random MSDTC exception with WCF over MSMQ

1 Answers1