Repair SQL Database and Restore SQL Database Objects

Written By Reyansh
Updated on December 22nd, 2020

Microsoft SQL Server is one leading database technologies in corporate IT environments. It supports a wide range of features, such as transaction processing, business intelligence, analytics applications, etc. It’s a database program, and it also creates a database file like every other database programs. And like other database files, the MDF (SQL database) file is prone to corruption. It’s bitter but a true fact. There are various reasons which may cause severe issues in your SQL database files and result in corruption. In this post, we’ll talk about SQL database corruption and how to repair SQL database file manually.

Table of Contents

Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server, a relational database management system (RDBMS) provided by Microsoft, works as a database server. Its primary function is to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications running on the same computer or other computers across a network. Microsoft has released 10 versions of SQL Server between 1996 to 2016, and the latest version is MS SQL Server 2016.

Benefits of SQL Server

If you’re looking for a stable, fast, and affordable database engine, SQL Server best suits your needs. The main reason why Microsoft SQL Server is so popular among developers and virtualized administrators is just that it’s easy to use. When you’re working on an SQL project, the task of development and troubleshooting becomes challenging and tedious. Thankfully Microsoft SQL has some useful built-in tools like SQL Server Profiler, SQL Server Management Studio, BI tools, and Database Engine Tuning Advisor.

Microsoft SQL Database

Microsoft SQL Server stores all your data in a database file, called SQL database. Generally, SQL Server creates two types of database files: MDB and NDF. MDF is the primary database whereas NDF is the secondary database.

MDF, the primary database: The SQL database file saved with MDF extension, contains users data and objects which include indices, columns, views, functions, values, tables, keys, stored procedures, triggers, default values, etc. The startup information for the database is also stored in the MDF file. In MS SQL Server, each database has one primary MDF file.
NDF, the secondary database: The database file saved with NDF extension in MS SQL Server, is called the secondary database. Like MDF file, it can also store user data. But its primary function is to spread data across multiple disks. You can create as much NDF files as you want.

There’s one more file created in SQL Server, LDF or log file. Its primary function is to work as a backup of SQL database. By using LDF or log file, you can successfully restore SQL database at the time of data loss due to accidental deletion or corruption. Every single database has at least one log file (.ldf) containing the log information

SQL Server Corruption

Being a database program, Microsoft SQL Server is not immune to severe issues which lead to corruption. SQL Server corruption is not less than a nightmare for SQL administrators. It can cause serious data loss which is unaffordable for any organization. I’m listing few common reasons below for SQL Server corruption:

Internal bugs in Microsoft SQL Server;
Virus attacks on SQL database;
Network failure when the SQL database file is in working mode;
Accidental data deletion from the SQL database;
Adding invalid content to the SQL database;
Using compressed folders to store SQL database;
Software malfunction and/or collision with other installed applications;
Storage media failure or crash where SQL database files stored;
Abruptly system shutdown due to power failure or forcefully cancellation;
Corruption in the header part of the SQL database; etc.

Whenever SQL Server corruption takes place, the SQL database becomes inaccessible. You just can’t open a corrupt SQL database. If you have a valid backup, you can restore SQL database from it. Even you can use the log file (LOG) to restore SQL database. But if you don’t have any backup, situation becomes quite challenging.

How to Repair SQL Database?

The only possible way to repair SQL database is by using the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. You need to use a couple of database console commands (DBCC): DBCC CHECKDB and DBCC DBREPAIR. Below are the steps you need to follow:

Note: But keep in mind that the trick I’m sharing here can only fix minor corruption issues. In case of severe corruption, it may fail or not work.

Step 1: First, launch Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio on your system. Make sure the corrupt SQL database is not opened anywhere.

Step 2: Go to the tool bar. There you can see a New Query button. Click it to go to a new query page.

Step 3: On the new query page, you need to write the SQL scripts (shown below). But don’t forget to replace the text YourDatabase with the original name of your database file.

EXEC sp_resetstatus [YourDatabase];
ALTER DATABASE [YourDatabase] SET EMERGENCY
DBCC checkdb ([YourDatabase])
ALTER DATABASE [YourDatabase] SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE
DBCC DATABASE ([YourDatabase], REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS)
ALTER DATABASE [YourDatabase] SET MULTI_USER

Step 4: Now click Execute to start the repairing process.

Users might also be interested in Repair Access Database Files (MDB & ACCDB) Manually

Professional SQL Database Recovery Solution

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If you can’t repair SQL database manually, you should try a professional recovery tool as an ultimate solution. The manual trick may fail or not work in a case of severe corruption. But the professional recovery solution like SQL Database Recovery software never disappoints you. It’s smartly programmed for a successful SQL data recovery from corrupt SQL database file. It supports both MDF and NDF files. Via this software, you can restore SQL database objects like tables, triggers, indices, keys, rules and defaults, etc. and save them into a new SQL database file. Also, you can save all the recovered data in the form of SQL Scripts. Other database objects like BLOB, image, XML, and large page data can also be recovered with utmost accuracy. It supports both ROW-Compression and PAGE-Compression types in your SQL database file.

For prior evaluation, you can download its free demo version. It’ll help you scan and repair SQL database in an intensive manner. You can see a preview of your data which you can actually recover from the corrupt SQL database before purchasing the software. If you’re satisfied with the results, then only you should purchase the licensed version.

About The Author:

Reyansh

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