How to fix Error 13055 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: Error 13055 – Spatial Index Failure in SQL Server 2025

Why This Error Happens

Error 13055 typically occurs when SQL Server 2025 attempts to create or rebuild a spatial index on a column containing invalid, corrupted, or out-of-bounds spatial data (such as geometry or geography instances that fall outside the defined bounding box). This can also result from a corrupted spatial index metadata entry or an incompatible grid density configuration applied during index creation. In some cases, insufficient tempdb space or file corruption in the underlying data pages prevents the spatial index engine from completing the indexing operation.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Validate the Spatial Data Integrity

  • Run SELECT *, geom.STIsValid() AS IsValid FROM YourTable WHERE geom.STIsValid() = 0; to identify invalid geometry/geography instances.
  • Use geom.MakeValid() to repair invalid spatial objects before re-indexing.
  • Check for NULL or malformed WKT/WKB data that may have been inserted via bulk import.

Step 2: Verify Bounding Box Configuration

  • Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and navigate to the spatial index definition.
  • Confirm the BOUNDING_BOX parameters match the actual coordinate range of your geometry data (e.g., XMIN, YMIN, XMAX, YMAX).
  • Run DROP INDEX followed by CREATE SPATIAL INDEX with corrected bounding box values if data exceeds the original grid boundaries.

Step 3: Clear and Rebuild Tempdb Allocation

  • Navigate to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL17.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\ on Windows Server 2025 and confirm tempdb files have adequate free space (minimum 20% free recommended).
  • Restart the SQL Server service via services.msc or run NET STOP MSSQLSERVER && NET START MSSQLSERVER in an elevated Command Prompt.
  • Re-run the spatial index creation script using CREATE SPATIAL INDEX idx_name ON YourTable(geom) WITH (BOUNDING_BOX = (xmin, ymin, xmax, ymax));

Step 4: Check for Corrupted Pages via DBCC

  • Run DBCC CHECKTABLE('YourTable') WITH ALL_ERRORMSGS; to detect underlying page-level corruption.
  • If corruption is found, restore the affected table from the most recent verified backup.
  • Re-attempt spatial index creation only after confirming DBCC CHECKTABLE returns zero allocation errors.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • To verify the fix, query sys.spatial_indexes and sys.spatial_index_tessellations to confirm the index status shows as active with no pending errors.
  • If the issue persists, drop the spatial column data, re-import a clean dataset using BULK INSERT, and recreate the spatial index from scratch on Windows 11 or Windows Server 2025 test environment before applying to production.