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 Recovering corrupted DB

Author  Topic 

tech
Starting Member

32 Posts

Posted - 2010-07-05 : 05:16:21
OK.... I had found a SQL Script online that would backup all my databases into a directory. I thought it had backed up all the databases but missed out a few. One in particular which I really needed.

I backed them up because I needed to wipe the system clean and start afresh.

Then when transferring data back, I realise it didnt backup the one DB I needed.

So, being a bit panicy, I was able to "recover" the db after the system was wiped clean using data recovery software.

It recovered the files fine (MDF and LDF) BUT when attaching back to the DB (Running SQL Server 2008 with SP1) I get the error:

The header for file 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.SQL2008\MSSQL\DATA\theDB.mdf' is not a valid database file header. The PageAudit property is incorrect.


ouch.

Any ideas what I can do here? any way AT ALL I can extract the tables/SPROCS or attach it some how?

Thanks

GilaMonster
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4507 Posts

Posted - 2010-07-05 : 05:23:27
Nothing you can do. The database header page is damaged, there's no way around that error, there's no way to recover from that error.

There are some 3rd party tools that claim to be able to extract data from damaged databases, try the demos, see if any of them actually can.

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP
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tech
Starting Member

32 Posts

Posted - 2010-07-05 : 09:41:40
Thanks fellow MVP. I did try the demos but they didnt work :-(

drats. well, at least it wasnt a large/crucial DB but still important nevertheless.

is there no way to bypass the header and just get it to read the DB, then safely extract the info I need?
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GilaMonster
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4507 Posts

Posted - 2010-07-05 : 09:53:54
Absolutely none. The header is one of the critical pages that must be intact to open a database. If it's toast, the entire DB is toast.

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP
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tech
Starting Member

32 Posts

Posted - 2010-07-05 : 10:57:17
Thanks Gail. I understand about the header situation - sometimes some applications (even Microsoft's own apps) can "recover" from bad headers - I guess SQL cannot (and somewhat, rightly so too)
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GilaMonster
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4507 Posts

Posted - 2010-07-05 : 13:00:01
SQL cannot, because there's a lot of very critical information in the database and file header pages that is nowhere else.

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP
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tech1
Starting Member

49 Posts

Posted - 2010-07-05 : 16:19:24
Thanks fellow MVP :-)
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