3 Simple SQL Database Recovery Methods for DBAs

The primary task of every DBA is to ensure SQL database continuity by implementing effective strategies. The database availability gets impacted due to various events, like sudden system crash, power failure, data corruption, etc. It is not possible to avoid such events, but what matters is how quickly you can perform database recovery.

To recover corrupt or inaccessible database, you can follow this guide that explains some simple yet effective methods for database recovery. You will also know about a reliable SQL recovery tool to recover data from corrupt database file.

3 Effective SQL Database Repair and Recovery Methods

If the SQL database goes into the suspect state or you may fail to access the stored procedures, tables, indexes, or other objects from it, then you can follow the below troubleshooting and recovery methods.

1 – Restore from Backup

If the SQL Server is unable to detect the database you’re trying to open/attach or it’s corrupted or damaged, then you can restore the database backup (.bak) file. Restoring the database from backup in SQL requires a complete and readable .bak file. So, first make sure it is free of corruption. To confirm this, check the integrity of the .bak file by using the RESTORE VERIFYONLY statement. Next, restore the SQL Server database file from backup. You can use SSMS, Windows PowerShell, or T-SQL queries to restore SQL database backup.

You can run the command as given below in your SQL Server instance query editor window to restore a full backup.

USE [master];

GO

RESTORE DATABASE [SQLTest3DB]

FROM DISK = N’C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\SQLTestDB3.bak’ WITH  FILE = 1, NOUNLOAD, STATS = 5;

GO

To restore the SQL Server backup, ensure the following:

• You must have the RESTORE permissions on the backup file.
• If the backup file is encrypted, then you need to check the VIEW DEFINITION permission to decrypt the file.
• If you’re restoring a specific transaction log backup, first restore the previous backups using the WITH NORECOVERY option.

2 – Use the DBCC CHECKDB Command

DBCC CHECKDB is one of the troubleshooting and recovery commands that you can use to recover corrupt SQL database. This command can help you check SQL database logically and physically, and in troubleshooting the errors. You can check the database-level permissions on the database to run this command. It uses log-based recovery techniques to recover the SQL database. So, if the transaction log is missing, it may not complete the recovery.

3 – Recover Database with SQL Database Recovery Tool

When the SQL database becomes corrupted or damaged, the safest and fastest approach is to opt for a reliable SQL database recovery tool. Stellar Repair for MS SQL Technician is one such tool that is designed to repair and restore SQL database files with complete integrity. It works on database files created in any SQL Server version. With this tool, you can easily recover stored procedures, indexes, and other data from MDF and BAK files. It can effectively recover data from files of Full, Differential, and Transaction log backups. After recovering the data, it allows you to save it to a new database, live database, or other formats, such as CSV, HTML, XLS, etc.

Use this SQL recovery tool when,

• You need a quick database recovery
• The backup file is not available
• You need to repair corrupted or inaccessible primary or secondary database files in SQL
• You have to recover database from suspect mode
• The SQL database file is severely corrupted
• You need to perform specific object recovery
• You need to recover deleted records
• The SQL backup files get corrupted

Conclusion

In SQL Server, the common database files are .BAK, .MDF, and NDF. These files can get corrupted due to several reasons. To deal with such a situation, choosing the right recovery approach is the key. You can follow the SQL database recovery methods discussed in this article to recover the data. For a quick and reliable recovery, keep a SQL repair and recovery tool handy that can fix corrupt or damaged SQL data files. Stellar Repair for MS SQL Technician is one such tool that can quickly repair and recover not only MDF NDF files but also repair corrupt backup files.