Can Recovery for SQL Server successfully repair my file? How can I determine whether it will be effective before I buy it?
To find out whether this application will work for you, we recommend running the free demo, which can assess the condition of your SQL Server database. Review the output, then purchase a software license if Recovery for SQL Server will be able to restore your file.
I am going to download the demo version. How is the demo different from the full version?
A built-in restriction prevents the free demo from recovering usable data past a defined number of database rows. The program will recover rows up until it reaches this point, then replace all other recoverable rows with “demo” (for text fields) or null entries (for non-text fields).
Before running either the demo or the full version, make sure to back up your SQL Server databases. Remember that your SQL Server entries will not be recoverable if they are not present in the demo output (replaced by placeholders).
I may need to use this program for work. How are the product licenses different?
We offer several software license options with varying feature sets. For more information, we recommend viewing our Licensing webpage before you make your purchase.
Recovery for SQL Server ran successfully on the corrupted database, backup and log. What next?
The program creates a series of SQL scripts, which you will need to process individually in order to reconstruct your database. The fastest way to do this is to run the batch file, which processes all of the scripts in sequential order. This batch file is located in the same folder as the recovered SQL scripts (the location of these files is set when you run Recovery for SQL Server).
What if I want to process the SQL scripts without the batch file?
Process the files in order, starting with schema.sql, then proceeding with dataNNNN.sql. We recommend using the batch file whenever possible.
I try to execute the commit.bat file created by Recovery for SQL Server, but I receive an error message that claims that the isql.exe utility cannot be found. Why does this occur?
This typically occurs if you are using SQL Server 2005, which uses sqlcmd.exe instead of the isql.exe and osql.exe utilities.
In order to execute our batch file and recreate the database automatically, please take the following steps. First, create a link to the sqlcmd.exe, name it isql.exe, and then re-run the commit.bat file. You can also manually edit the batch file to target sqlcmd.exe instead of isql.exe.
I have another SQL variant. Will this program work for my database?
Recovery for SQL Server is only designed to repair SQL Server files, but we offer other tools for various database types. Visit our software page to view other options and to download free demos.
I have three databases and backup logs with the following extensions: MDF, NDF and LDF. Which one should I target when using Recovery for SQL Server?
The differences between these files are as follows; MDF is the SQL Server Master data file, NDF is the SQL Server Secondary data file, and LDF is the SQL Server Transaction log file.
Recovery for SQL Server requires an MDF file in order to recover the database, backup and log, so if you do not have an MDF file, you cannot successfully restore your data.
However, if you have an NDF, please place it in the same directory as the MDF before you attempt the recovery. The program will use it to improve the quality of the output.
The LDF file will not be accessed or used by Recovery for SQL Server.
My corrupted database, backup log and log consist of a large number of records, and I am concerned that the recovery process might take too long. Can I set a limit on the number of SQL scripts processed by Recovery for SQL Server during each recovery session?
Yes. Please note that by default, Recovery for SQL Server will create no more than 9999 SQL scripts per session. You can change the maximum output by altering the MaxLines system registry value (type REG_DWORD) in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Recoveronix\MSSQLRecovery key. We do not recommend altering the registry key if you do not have experience with this process.
Can I run Recovery for SQL Server through the command line? If so, what should I know before I get started?
You can operate this application through the command line if you have an Enterprise or Service license, but not with the Standard license.
When writing batch files or using Recovery for SQL directly from the command line, use ‘?’ to represent single symbols/characters and ‘*’ to represent groups of characters. Do not use angle brackets. The call is msr.exe “”
Before running the application, please make sure that you have created an appropriate output directory. This ensures that the recovered files will be created properly.