Updating system tables

All direct updates on system tables are by default not allowed —even for the database owner. Instead, Adaptive Server supplies system procedures to make any normally needed updates and additions to system tables.

You can allow direct updates to the system tables if it becomes necessary to modify them in a way that cannot be accomplished with a system procedure. To accomplish this, a System Security Officer must reset the configuration parameter called allow updates to system tables with the system procedure sp_configure. For more information, see the System Administration Guide.

There are entries in some of the master database tables that should not be altered by any user under any circumstances. For example, do not attempt to modify syslogs with a delete, update, or insert command. In addition, an attempt to delete all rows from syslogs will put Adaptive Server into an infinite loop that eventually fills up the entire database.