Attach db w/no log file

I had a client run out of disk space because their transaction log grew too
large. They accidentally deleted the tran log (didn't go to Recycle bin
because of size), and their last good backup was from 3 weeks ago. If I try
to attach the database either through Enterprise Manager or QA it tells me
the physical file name for the ldf is incorrect. Is there a way to get
around this error? Can I restore the old backup to a different name and use
its ldf file? Where is the info stored that tells the system what log file
is associated with the database? Can I modify that somehow? Thanks!Look up sp_attach_single_file_db in BOL
"Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FC936F6C-7280-4DD7-933B-08F7D6A112ED@.microsoft.com...
>I had a client run out of disk space because their transaction log grew too
> large. They accidentally deleted the tran log (didn't go to Recycle bin
> because of size), and their last good backup was from 3 weeks ago. If I
> try
> to attach the database either through Enterprise Manager or QA it tells me
> the physical file name for the ldf is incorrect. Is there a way to get
> around this error? Can I restore the old backup to a different name and
> use
> its ldf file? Where is the info stored that tells the system what log
> file
> is associated with the database? Can I modify that somehow? Thanks!|||Thanks for the reply. I just tried this and it is still telling me that the
ldf file 'may be incorrect.' Can I reattach using the old log file? Or
would that potentially mess up my database? Thanks.
"Michael C#" wrote:
> Look up sp_attach_single_file_db in BOL
> "Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:FC936F6C-7280-4DD7-933B-08F7D6A112ED@.microsoft.com...
> >I had a client run out of disk space because their transaction log grew too
> > large. They accidentally deleted the tran log (didn't go to Recycle bin
> > because of size), and their last good backup was from 3 weeks ago. If I
> > try
> > to attach the database either through Enterprise Manager or QA it tells me
> > the physical file name for the ldf is incorrect. Is there a way to get
> > around this error? Can I restore the old backup to a different name and
> > use
> > its ldf file? Where is the info stored that tells the system what log
> > file
> > is associated with the database? Can I modify that somehow? Thanks!
>
>|||You can't add an unmacthing transaction log file to a database. The purpose of a transaction log is
amongst other things to support recovery. SQL Server does a check at startup that the lsn number for
the log records matches with what to expect for the database. If restore isn't a viable option, I
suggest you let MS Support help you. They might have a way to get the database back, in some shape.
And, make sure you give access to the system to people who might do these operations as well as have
a good backup strategy in the future. But I guess you know this by now. :-)
--
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
http://www.sqlug.se/
"Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ADE099E2-854A-426E-9A54-64CB430CE5CD@.microsoft.com...
> Thanks for the reply. I just tried this and it is still telling me that the
> ldf file 'may be incorrect.' Can I reattach using the old log file? Or
> would that potentially mess up my database? Thanks.
> "Michael C#" wrote:
>> Look up sp_attach_single_file_db in BOL
>> "Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:FC936F6C-7280-4DD7-933B-08F7D6A112ED@.microsoft.com...
>> >I had a client run out of disk space because their transaction log grew too
>> > large. They accidentally deleted the tran log (didn't go to Recycle bin
>> > because of size), and their last good backup was from 3 weeks ago. If I
>> > try
>> > to attach the database either through Enterprise Manager or QA it tells me
>> > the physical file name for the ldf is incorrect. Is there a way to get
>> > around this error? Can I restore the old backup to a different name and
>> > use
>> > its ldf file? Where is the info stored that tells the system what log
>> > file
>> > is associated with the database? Can I modify that somehow? Thanks!
>>|||Check and see if it actually attached. If I recall correctly,
sp_attach_single_file_db will give a warning message when it doesn't find
the log file, but it should still attach successfully.
"Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ADE099E2-854A-426E-9A54-64CB430CE5CD@.microsoft.com...
> Thanks for the reply. I just tried this and it is still telling me that
> the
> ldf file 'may be incorrect.' Can I reattach using the old log file? Or
> would that potentially mess up my database? Thanks.
> "Michael C#" wrote:
>> Look up sp_attach_single_file_db in BOL
>> "Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:FC936F6C-7280-4DD7-933B-08F7D6A112ED@.microsoft.com...
>> >I had a client run out of disk space because their transaction log grew
>> >too
>> > large. They accidentally deleted the tran log (didn't go to Recycle
>> > bin
>> > because of size), and their last good backup was from 3 weeks ago. If
>> > I
>> > try
>> > to attach the database either through Enterprise Manager or QA it tells
>> > me
>> > the physical file name for the ldf is incorrect. Is there a way to get
>> > around this error? Can I restore the old backup to a different name
>> > and
>> > use
>> > its ldf file? Where is the info stored that tells the system what log
>> > file
>> > is associated with the database? Can I modify that somehow? Thanks!
>>|||I double-checked and it is not attached. A few other users on a different
forum mentioned the same thing. Someone else mentioned an Emergency Mode and
a log re buid resolution they received from MS. Hopefully this will help.
Thank you for your responses.
"Michael C#" wrote:
> Check and see if it actually attached. If I recall correctly,
> sp_attach_single_file_db will give a warning message when it doesn't find
> the log file, but it should still attach successfully.
>
> "Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:ADE099E2-854A-426E-9A54-64CB430CE5CD@.microsoft.com...
> > Thanks for the reply. I just tried this and it is still telling me that
> > the
> > ldf file 'may be incorrect.' Can I reattach using the old log file? Or
> > would that potentially mess up my database? Thanks.
> >
> > "Michael C#" wrote:
> >
> >> Look up sp_attach_single_file_db in BOL
> >>
> >> "Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:FC936F6C-7280-4DD7-933B-08F7D6A112ED@.microsoft.com...
> >> >I had a client run out of disk space because their transaction log grew
> >> >too
> >> > large. They accidentally deleted the tran log (didn't go to Recycle
> >> > bin
> >> > because of size), and their last good backup was from 3 weeks ago. If
> >> > I
> >> > try
> >> > to attach the database either through Enterprise Manager or QA it tells
> >> > me
> >> > the physical file name for the ldf is incorrect. Is there a way to get
> >> > around this error? Can I restore the old backup to a different name
> >> > and
> >> > use
> >> > its ldf file? Where is the info stored that tells the system what log
> >> > file
> >> > is associated with the database? Can I modify that somehow? Thanks!
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>|||One more thing. Make sure the MDF file is not marked READ-ONLY by the
operating system (for instance, if you burned it on a CD, and copied it
back). If it is, make it read/write and try again. Hope you find a
resolution quickly.
"Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:00FC1F66-801D-4BC6-8C72-3884BBDDB250@.microsoft.com...
>I double-checked and it is not attached. A few other users on a different
> forum mentioned the same thing. Someone else mentioned an Emergency Mode
> and
> a log re buid resolution they received from MS. Hopefully this will help.
> Thank you for your responses.
> "Michael C#" wrote:
>> Check and see if it actually attached. If I recall correctly,
>> sp_attach_single_file_db will give a warning message when it doesn't find
>> the log file, but it should still attach successfully.
>>
>> "Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:ADE099E2-854A-426E-9A54-64CB430CE5CD@.microsoft.com...
>> > Thanks for the reply. I just tried this and it is still telling me
>> > that
>> > the
>> > ldf file 'may be incorrect.' Can I reattach using the old log file?
>> > Or
>> > would that potentially mess up my database? Thanks.
>> >
>> > "Michael C#" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Look up sp_attach_single_file_db in BOL
>> >>
>> >> "Roger" <Roger@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:FC936F6C-7280-4DD7-933B-08F7D6A112ED@.microsoft.com...
>> >> >I had a client run out of disk space because their transaction log
>> >> >grew
>> >> >too
>> >> > large. They accidentally deleted the tran log (didn't go to Recycle
>> >> > bin
>> >> > because of size), and their last good backup was from 3 weeks ago.
>> >> > If
>> >> > I
>> >> > try
>> >> > to attach the database either through Enterprise Manager or QA it
>> >> > tells
>> >> > me
>> >> > the physical file name for the ldf is incorrect. Is there a way to
>> >> > get
>> >> > around this error? Can I restore the old backup to a different name
>> >> > and
>> >> > use
>> >> > its ldf file? Where is the info stored that tells the system what
>> >> > log
>> >> > file
>> >> > is associated with the database? Can I modify that somehow?
>> >> > Thanks!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>