Update Statement Performing Table Lock Even Though Where Condition On Clustered Primary Index?

Hi All,

I have a database that is serving a web site with reasonably high
traffiic.

We're getting errors at certain points where processes are being
locked. In particular, one of our people has suggested that an update
statement contained within a stored procedure that uses a where
condition that only touches on a column that has a clustered primary
index on it will still cause a table lock.

So, for example:

UPDATE ORDERS SET
prod = @product,
val = @val
WHERE ordid = @ordid

In this case ordid has a clustered primary index on it.

Can anyone tell me if this would be the case, and if there's a way of
ensuring that we are only doing a row lock on the record specified in
the where condition?

Many, many thanks in advance!

Much warmth,

Murray