Help! Dead Server, need to restore sql database.

  • Hello.

    I'm quite new to sql server and have limited knowledge but this looks like a good place to up my knowledge.

    I started supporting an existing Fujitsu Econel 100 server with SBS 2003 installed last year. This had been configured for the company to store all their office documents on the companyweb. This had been working fine until the electrical storms came to England yesterday, something happened to the server and has blown the motherboard. Thus we can no longer boot into the os. We had it setup with a raid 1 configuration so it is possible to access the drives and I have the sbs backup from the night before.

    How would I go about getting the sql database and restoring it to a different server so i can get their needed documents out and pop them onto a usb drive to get my customer up and working until I can get a new server in there?

    Thanks in advance - Adam

  • Where are your backups of those dbs? That would be by far the easiest route to take.

  • I can get a backup of the dbs from the program files/sql server/data folder or do you mean the ntbackup?

    I have that on a network storage device which can be accessed, it has the .bkf file.

    Thanks for your quick response.

  • No I mean did you take daily full backups of the dbs using either sql agent or backup exec or anything else similar?

    There are applications that can take full server backups which include the db files but those apps are few and far in between.

  • Adam Hills (6/29/2011)


    I can get a backup of the dbs from the program files/sql server/data folder or do you mean the ntbackup?

    I have that on a network storage device which can be accessed, it has the .bkf file.

    Thanks for your quick response.

    This sounds like you only have the core mdf/ldf files to work from, and not the actual database backups. I'll be honest I don't know what SBS does, but it's unfamiliar to me. Look for some files with like <databasename>.bak, usually somewhere down a filepath with '/backup/' included. Those are what you're looking for if it was setup as default. That'll let you restore to another machine the easiest.

    If you only have the mdf/ldfs to work with, you're in a recovery scenario and I'll see if I can find you some good walkthrough links.


    - Craig Farrell

    Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

    For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
    For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]

    Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

  • Unfortunately, we haven't got any backup agents/programs installed, so Craig is correct. I'll take a log at the drive tomorrow and let you know if I can find the /backup folder.

    Thanks

  • Adam Hills (6/29/2011)


    Unfortunately, we haven't got any backup agents/programs installed, so Craig is correct. I'll take a log at the drive tomorrow and let you know if I can find the /backup folder.

    Thanks

    You can setup the internal agent on SQL Server to do that maintenance for you and I'm hoping for your sanity that this was done so you can recover easier. If not, prepare for an interesting ride.


    - Craig Farrell

    Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

    For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
    For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]

    Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

  • I've scanned the hdd for any files of .bak and can't find any that relate to the servername etc.

    Looks like i'm in for an interesting ride.....

  • If you only have the mdf/ldfs to work with, you're in a recovery scenario and I'll see if I can find you some good walkthrough links.

    This looks like it's all I have to work with, I don't suppose you have any walkthroughs as mentioned?

    Thanks - Adam.

  • Some basics to get you started:

    1. Install MSSQL Server on a new physical server, or you may already have an existing server/instance that you can use.

    2. Copy the MDF and LDF files from the crashed server to the new server. Place these files in the directory/directories where you want the database files.

    3. ATTACH the database and create the necessary logins/users on the new instance

    (see Books online for detach/attach)

    4. Perform a FULL backup and save this file on another server/device for disaster recovery.

  • Adam Hills (7/1/2011)


    If you only have the mdf/ldfs to work with, you're in a recovery scenario and I'll see if I can find you some good walkthrough links.

    This looks like it's all I have to work with, I don't suppose you have any walkthroughs as mentioned?

    Thanks - Adam.

    Sorry Adam, been a long few days and I couldn't find the post I was looking to find for a bit.

    The first trick is simply to bring the files over to the new server, and try doing a database attach. You can try this from the GUI. EDIT: As Steve mentioned above... 🙂

    If that fails, you're looking at recovery. When you're dealing with recovery, always go to the master:

    http://www.sqlskills.com/BLOGS/PAUL/post/TechEd-Demo-Creating-detaching-re-attaching-and-fixing-a-suspect-database.aspx

    That blog will go over at the beginning all the reasons it doesn't want to work, and then near the end you'll see a 'fixing the database' section which is what you'll need to do if a simple attach won't function.


    - Craig Farrell

    Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

    For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
    For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]

    Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

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