PREEMPTIVE_OS_GETVOLUMEPATHNAME

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Description:

This wait type is when a thread is calling the Windows GetVolumePathName function.

(Books Online description: N/A)

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Added in SQL Server version:

2008

Removed in SQL Server version:

N/A

Extended Events wait_type value:

The map_key value in sys.dm_xe_map_values is 457 in 2008 and 2008 R2, 505 in 2012, and 521 in 2014 RTM. After 2014 RTM, you must check the DMV to get the latest value as some map_key values have changed in later builds.

Other information:

I have not seen this wait type be a noticeable contention point.

Note that when a thread calls out to Windows, the thread changes from non-preemptive (SQL Server controls the thread) to preemptive (Windows controls the thread) mode. The thread’s state will be listed as RUNNING, as SQL Server doesn’t know what Windows is doing with the thread.

Known occurrences in SQL Server (list number matches call stack list):

  1. Getting the volume path name (in this case, as part of performing a BACKUP DATABASE operation)

And other similar call stacks.

Abbreviated call stacks (list number matches known occurrences list):

  1. SOS_Task::PopWait+b1
    AutoSwitchPreemptive::~AutoSwitchPreemptive+95
    BackupFileDesc::AssociateWithVolume+183
    BackupOperation::LoadFileList+13e
    BackupOperation::SnapshotMetadata+275
    BackupDatabaseOperation::PerformBackupInitiationSteps+1d
    BackupEntry::BackupDatabase+304
    CStmtDumpDb::XretExecute+ef
    CMsqlExecContext::ExecuteStmts<1,1>+427
    CMsqlExecContext::FExecute+a43
    CSQLSource::Execute+86c
    process_request+a57
    process_commands+4a3
    SOS_Task::Param::Execute+21e
    SOS_Scheduler::RunTask+ab