Server Crashed How best to recover?

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Server Crashed How best to recover?

BillDenver

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Points: 164
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June 26, 2009 at 5:59 am

#201843

A new server is being installed. We have recent backups of the MDF and LDF files. We also have good backups form a week or so back. What is the best recovery strategy? I see my options as attaching the existing files or restoring from an older backup and losing data. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

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SSRfromChennai Ten Centuries Points: 1120 More actions · Answer 1

If you know the logical file name then create a blank database. Detach it and while attaching the DB refer the mdf and ldf file.

BillDenver SSC Enthusiast Points: 164 More actions · Answer 2

Thanks - good idea. What about user and security. I think we also have a good master.mdf file (but an older backup).

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 3

sureshrajan (6/26/2009)
If you know the logical file name then create a blank database. Detach it and while attaching the DB refer the mdf and ldf file.

Shouldn't be necessary. That's generally reserved for when the log is missing and the DB won't attach.

Just attach the files. In most cases it will work. If you have a backup of master (where the logins live) restore that first. You can try swapping the mdf and ldf of master with the ones from the crashed server, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

BillDenver SSC Enthusiast Points: 164 More actions · Answer 4

Thanks so much. I'll give it a try this weekend (or today if the hardware folks finish) and let you know how it goes.

BillDenver SSC Enthusiast Points: 164 More actions · Answer 5

Thanks for your help. DB is back on line and all data is good. Last issue though is that SQL 2005 Management Studio cannot install. Raises errors:

MainEngineThread is returning 1603 (from the log)

SQL server does not appear in Add/Remove programs on the new server.

Tried to reinstall but cannot get past the error. Any ideas?

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 6

BillDenver (6/28/2009)
Tried to reinstall but cannot get past the error. Any ideas?

Not offhand. Does google turn up any suggestions?

Why do you need management studio on the server?

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

BillDenver SSC Enthusiast Points: 164 More actions · Answer 7

You're up early. Good point, I'll just put it on a workstation.

Thanks for all your help.

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 8

BillDenver (6/28/2009)
You're up early.

Not particularly early. I'd just finished lunch when I wrote that.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass