Our client's server got corrupted and the drives containing NDF and LDF files were gone. The only drive that survived was the one with MDF files.
There were no backups of any sort. They recovered the database, which I know just a gist of, by creating new database (from a old database, I guess) and applied bcp utility to copy data over to the new one. But, they would not release the information how they actually recovered.
So, I was just curious to find how it is possible to recover data from MDF files only, when the NDF files are lost/missing.
You will need to restore your database by using sp_attach_single_file_db system stored procedure. Something like this...
USE [master]
GO
EXECUTE sp_attach_single_file_db #dbname='DB_Name',
#physname=N'C:\Path_To_Your_MDF_FILE\DB_Name.mdf'
GO
Edit
USE [master]
GO
CREATE DATABASE DB_Name
ON (FILENAME = N'C:\Path_To_Your_MDF_FILE\DB_Name.mdf')
FOR ATTACH ;
GO
Related
I am using SSMS 2017 and attempting to restore a SQL Server 2016 backup (.bak) file to a new database (the data file and log file names in the original backup are different from the new database I am restoring to), so for example, db1.bak is being used to create a new database called db2 through a restore operation.
After the restore completes, all stored procedures and views are present, but none of the tables are there.
These are the steps I've taken in SSMS to perform the restore:
Right click the Databases folder
Select "Restore Database"
Under the General Page: For "Source" I choose Device and select the db1.bak file, and for "Destination" I enter the name of the new database to be created from the backup (db2)
Under the Files Page I select Relocate all files to folder (both Data and Log folder paths have been pre-populated with the correct names) as have the Logical File Name and the Restore As paths.
Under the Options Page I either select nothing or select Overwrite the existing database (WITH REPLACE).
Once the restore completes "successfully" I expand the newly created db2 and click to expand the tables and receive this error message:
What am I doing wrong?
Here is the script:
USE [master]
RESTORE DATABASE [PdsClone] FROM DISK = N'F:\SQLBackups\PDS_backup_2017_12_12_001015_0199267.bak' WITH FILE = 1, MOVE N'PDS_Data' TO N'E:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.PDS\MSSQL\DATA\PdsClone.mdf', MOVE N'PDS_Log' TO N'E:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.PDS\MSSQL\DATA\PdsClone_log.ldf', NOUNLOAD, REPLACE, STATS = 5 GO
UPDATE
I had the server group add another disk to that server and moved the SQL backups there, and I was able to successfully complete the restore this morning. I had previously cleaned off most of the backup files, but could it have been a space issue that prevented the tables from showing up in the restore? Every try it indicated success but no tables. They are there now, and I am thankful for your suggestions and help!
Not really an answer to what happened, but perhaps SSMS was doing something a little buggy as #JeroenMostert suggested.
I'm trying to write a program to allow a non-privileged technically naive user to create a new SQL Server database and receive it in the form of a .mdf file. I understand that .mdf files are not really supposed to be treated like database backups, but I need to do it this way to maintain compatibility with existing commercial software that works like this.
I'm using Visual Studio 2013 and SQL Server 2014, though I would like the program to be able to work with versions of SQL Server going back at least to 2008.
What I find is that I can't copy the .mdf file created by
CREATE DATABASE XXXXX on
(NAME=<name>,FILENAME=<filename>')
because it ends up belonging (I think) to MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS. The reason I say 'I think' is that when I go to the file properties and accept Administrator privileges to view the owner, it tells me 'Unable to display current owner.' I can transfer ownership of the file, but only using Administrator privileges.
So it seems that I cannot copy the .MDF file without Administrator privileges, which seems fairly ridiculous given that I was able to create the file without those privileges. I've tried creating the file in a folder located under my user's App_Data folder and with full access for everyone to subfolders and files, but that didn't help.
Can anyone suggest me what I can do (programatically) to make this file available to a non-privileged user?
Many thanks for your help.
Try following script before trying to copy mdf file:
USE [master]
GO
EXEC master.dbo.sp_detach_db #dbname = N'DatabaseName';
GO
It will detach Database from SQL Server and you can treat it's files as regular files within a system.
After copying you'd have to re-attach the database by "sp_attach_db".
Be aware that during that period database won't be visible by SQL Server.
USE [master]
GO
EXEC master.dbo.sp_attach_db #dbname = N'DatabaseName'
, #filename1 = 'C:\Data\Datfile.mdf';
, #filename2 = 'C:\Data\Logfile.ldf';
GO
First get location of data files into a variable, so that you can easly move from there after you detach.
select a.filename from sys.sysfiles a inner join sys.master_files b on a.fileid=b.file_id
where b.database_id=db_id('DB_NAME')
Verify if there is any open session with the database.
select spid from sysprocesses where dbid=db_id('DB_NAME')
Kill All the sessions using [kill spid]
Then Detach your database
USE [master]
GO
EXEC master.dbo.sp_detach_db 'DB_NAME';
Now you can move the database from the source holded in the variable to desired destination.
Now if you want to attach the database on other server.
If you moved both .ldf and .mdf to same directory
USE [master]
GO
EXEC master.dbo.sp_attach_db #dbname = 'DB_NAME', #filename1 = 'C:\Data\Datfile.mdf';
If you moved .ldf and .mdf to seperate directory.
Use the script suggested by Mr. Slava Murygin here to attach database.
Thanks
I'm struggling to find a suitable solution to this. I have a fairly large SQL Server 2008 Express database containing 60+ tables (many with key constraints) and a whole bunch of data.
I need to essentially copy all of these tables and the data and the constraints exactly from one database to another. I'm basically duplicating website A - to produce an exact copy (website B) on a different domain so we end up with two completely identical websites running in parallel, each with their own identical database to begin with.
Database A is up and running on website A. Database B is set up and has it's own user. I just need to get the tables and the data intact from A to B. I can them modify my web.config connection to use the log-in credentials for database B and it should work.
I've tried backing up database A and restoring to database B via Management Studio Express, but it tells me:
System.Data.SqlClient.SqlError: The backup set holds a backup of a database other than the existing 'database-B' database.
(Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo)
I've also tried right clicking database A in Management Studio Express and going to Tasks > Generate scripts. But when I do this and run the SQL scripts on database B I get a whole load of errors to do with foreign keys etc as it imports the content. It seems like it's doing the right thing, but can't handle the different keys/relationships.
So does anyone know of a simple, sure-fire way of getting my data 100% exact and intact from database A to database B?
I think I used SQL Server Database Publishing Wizard to do something like this about 5 years ago, but that product seems to be defunct now - I tried to install it and it wanted me to regress my version of SQL Server to 2005, so I'm not going there!
Don't use the UI for this. If you're not familiar with the various aspects of BACKUP/RESTORE the UI is just going to lead you down the wrong path for a lot of options. The simplest backup command would be:
BACKUP DATABASE dbname TO DISK = 'C:\some folder\dbname.bak' WITH INIT;
Now to restore this as a different database, you need to know the file names because it will try to put the same files in the same place. So if you run the following:
EXEC dbname.dbo.sp_helpfile;
You should see output that contains the names and paths of the data and log files. When you construct your restore, you'll need to use these, but replace the paths with the name of the new database, e.g.:
RESTORE DATABASE newname FROM DISK = 'C\some folder\dbname.bak'
WITH MOVE 'dbname' TO 'C:\path_from_sp_helpfile_output\newname_data.mdf',
MOVE 'dbname_log' TO 'C:\path_from_sp_helpfile_output\newname_log.ldf';
You'll have to replace dbname and newname with your actual database names, and also some folder and C:\path_from_sp_helpfile_output\ with your actual paths. I can't get more specific in my answer unless I know what those are.
** EDIT **
Here is a full repro, which works completely fine for me:
CREATE DATABASE [DB-A];
GO
EXEC [DB-A].dbo.sp_helpfile;
Partial results:
name fileid filename
-------- ------ ---------------------------------
DB-A 1 C:\Program Files\...\DB-A.mdf
DB-A_log 2 C:\Program Files\...\DB-A_log.ldf
Now I run the backup:
BACKUP DATABASE [DB-A] TO DISK = 'C:\dev\DB-A.bak' WITH INIT;
Of course if the clone target (in this case DB-B) already exists, you'll want to drop it:
USE [master];
GO
IF DB_ID('DB-B') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
ALTER DATABASE [DB-B] SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;
DROP DATABASE [DB-B];
END
GO
Now this restore will run successfully:
RESTORE DATABASE [DB-B] FROM DISK = 'C:\dev\DB-A.bak'
WITH MOVE 'DB-A' TO 'C:\Program Files\...\DB-B.mdf',
MOVE 'DB-A_log' TO 'C:\Program Files\...\DB-B_log.ldf';
If you are getting errors about the contents of the BAK file, then I suggest you validate that you really are generating a new file and that you are pointing to the right file in your RESTORE command. Please try the above and let me know if it works, and try to pinpoint any part of the process that you're doing differently.
I realize this is an old question, but I was facing the same problem and I found that the UI was easier and faster than creating scripts to do this.
I believe Dan's problem was that he created the new database first and then tried to restore another database into it. I tried this as well and got the same error. The trick is to not create the database first and name the database during the "Restore Database" process.
The following article is somewhat useful in guiding you through the process:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms186390(v=sql.105).aspx
In my local C: drive I have a ldf file for a database that is hosted on one of our servers. I have a local copy of one of the databases that is 1 gb and a ldf (log file) of that database that is 16gb. It is eating up a lot of my local space on my hard drive. I would like to truncate that file. A lot of what I read online is don't, but it seems that they are talking about files on the server that the database is on. That isn't the case here, it is on my local machine.
The location of the file on my machine is:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA
How come I have a copy of that log file locally and also that database locally?
How would I go about truncating this file?
Thanks!
Go to the Object Explorer pane in SSMS and right click on the database in question. Choose tasks -> shrink -> files. Change the file type option to Log, click the "Reorganize pages before releasing unused space" option, and set the value to 1 MB. Hit OK.
If this doesn't work, check to see if your database is set up with a Full database recover model. Right click the database and go to properties. Choose Options, and check the Recover model option. Set to simple (if you can!!!), then shrink the logs.
The another option you can try is to use WITH TRUNCATE_ONLY:
BACKUP LOG databasename WITH TRUNCATE_ONLY
DBCC SHRINKFILE ( adventureworks_Log, 1)
but don't try this option in live environment, the far better option is to set database in simple recovery. see the below command to do this:
ALTER DATABASE mydatabase SET RECOVERY SIMPLE
DBCC SHRINKFILE (adventureworks_Log, 1)
I have an MDF file and no LDF files for a database created in MS SQL Server 2005. When I try to attach the MDF file to a different SQL Server, I get the following error message.
The log cannot be rebuilt because there were open transactions/users when the database was shutdown, no checkpoint occurred to the database, or the database was read-only. This error could occur if the transaction log file was manually deleted or lost due to a hardware or environment failure.
I would like to accomplish any one of the following options:
Attach the database without data loss (unlikely but would save me some time).
Attach the database with data loss (whatever transactions were open are lost).
Recover the schema only (no data) from the MDF file.
What SQL commands can I try to get my database going again?
I found the following document on Experts Exchange.
patrikt:
You will have data loss but it can be done.
1. Detach database and move your mdf to save location.
2. Create new databse of same name, same files, same file location and same file size.
3. Stop SQL server.
4. Swap mdf file of just created DB to your save one.
5. Start SQL. DB will go suspect.
6. ALTER DATABASE yourdb SET EMERGENCY
7. ALTER DATABASE yourdb SET SINGLE_USER
8. DBCC CHECKDB (yourdb, REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS)
9. ALTER DATABASE yourdb SET MULTI_USER
10. ALTER DATABASE yourdb SET ONLINE
Here are details that cover parts 2) and 3) in case re-creating log doesn’t work which can happen if MDF file is corrupted.
You can recover data and structure only by reading MDF file with some third party tool that can de-code what’s written as binary data but even with such tools you can’t always do the job completely.
In such cases you can try ApexSQL Recover. From what I know this is the only tool that can do this kind of job but it’s quite expensive.
Much better idea is to try to recover these from any old backups if you have any.
FROM a post at SQL Server Forums Attaching MDF without LDF:
If you want to attach a MDF without LDF you can follow the steps below
It is tested and working fine
Create a new database with the same name and same MDF and LDF files
Stop sql server and rename the existing MDF to a new one and copy the original MDF to this location and delete the LDF files.
Start SQL Server
Now your database will be marked suspect 5. Update the sysdatabases to update to Emergency mode. This will not use LOG files in start up
Sp_configure "allow updates", 1
go
Reconfigure with override
GO
Update sysdatabases set status = 32768 where name = "BadDbName"
go
Sp_configure "allow updates", 0
go
Reconfigure with override
GO
Restart sql server. now the database will be in emergency mode
Now execute the undocumented DBCC to create a log file
DBCC REBUILD_LOG(dbname,'c:\dbname.ldf') -- Undocumented step to
create a new log file.
(replace the dbname and log file name based on ur requirement)
Execute sp_resetstatus
Restart SQL server and see the database is online.
UPDATE: DBCC REBUILD_LOG does not existing SQL2005 and above. This should work:
USE [master]
GO
CREATE DATABASE [Test] ON
(FILENAME = N'C:\MSSQL\Data\Test.mdf')
FOR ATTACH_REBUILD_LOG
GO
have you tried to ignore the ldf and just attach the mdf:
sp_attach_single_file_db [ #dbname = ] 'dbname' , [ #physname = ] 'physical_name'
i don't know exactly what will happen to your open transactions (probably just lost), but it might get your data back online.
-don
See here : Rebuild master and restore system databases from complete disk failure which has a very nice explanation
Just had this problem myself, but none of the above answers worked for me.
But instead, I found this which worked a treat and so I thought I'd share this for everyone else:
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/sql-server-attach-database-mdf-file.aspx
Found a another way that works completely:
Create new database with same name to default database location.
Stop SQL server.
Copy old mdf file to overwrite newly created mdf file and delete new ldf file
Start SQL Server, database will be in emergency mode
Detach the emergency mode database
Copy original ldf file to default database location (where new LDF file as created and deleted under step 3 above.
Attach the database MDF file.
I got a working database after trying all of the above that failed for me.
I hope it is easy to do so,
Open SQL Server
Click New Query
Execute the following query
sp_attach_single_file_db #dbname='dbname',#physname='C:\Database\dbname.MDF'
Where dbname is you want to show in Object Explorer, where #physname is the local filepath location of your mdf file.
Hope it will help someone, i done by above, got both structure and also data.
Tested in Sql Server 2000 and 2008. In Sql Server 2000 it is not working, but works perfectly in 2008.