Recovery Pending Sql !link! Here

The database is technically online but inaccessible to users. You will see it in SSMS Object Explorer with a yellow warning icon and (Recovery Pending) next to its name. | Cause | Description | |-------|-------------| | Missing or corrupted transaction log file (.ldf) | The log file is deleted, moved, or has sector-level corruption. | | Insufficient disk space | The drive hosting the log file is full, preventing recovery from allocating space for rollback/rollforward. | | Corrupted boot page of the log file | The first page of the log (containing VLH info) is unreadable. | | File system permission issues | SQL Server service account lacks read/write access to the log file or its folder. | | Restore operation interrupted | A RESTORE WITH NORECOVERY was left incomplete, or the restore failed mid-operation. | | Inconsistent file states | Data files and log files are out of sync (e.g., restoring old log onto newer data). | 3. Immediate Diagnostic Steps Run the following queries to assess the situation:

-- Bring back online normally ALTER DATABASE YourDatabaseName SET ONLINE; REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS may truncate pages, drop indexes, or remove entire rows. Always export critical data before this step using SELECT INTO or BCP . Case C: Disk Space Issue -- Find log file size and growth settings SELECT name, size/128.0 AS SizeMB, growth, is_percent_growth FROM sys.database_files WHERE type_desc = 'LOG'; -- Shrink log if possible (after freeing disk space) DBCC SHRINKFILE (YourDatabaseName_log, 1024); -- Target 1 GB recovery pending sql

-- Check file existence and paths (from SQL perspective) SELECT type_desc, name, physical_name, state_desc FROM sys.master_files WHERE database_id = DB_ID(N'YourDatabaseName'); If the log file is missing, sys.master_files will still show its expected path, but the OS will not have the file. 4. Recovery Strategy Matrix | Scenario | Action | Data Loss Risk | |----------|--------|----------------| | Log file missing, but you have a full backup + all subsequent log backups | Restore with RECOVERY | None | | Log file missing, no recent log backups | Attempt emergency mode rebuild | High (only committed data in .mdf remains) | | Disk full | Free space, then restart SQL Server service | None | | Log file corrupted but .mdf intact | Use DBCC CHECKDB with ALLOW_DATA_LOSS | Moderate to High | | Restore left in NORECOVERY | Issue RESTORE DATABASE ... WITH RECOVERY | None | | File permissions | Grant Full Control to SQL service account, restart instance | None | 5. Step-by-Step Resolution Procedures Case A: Log File Missing – Full Backup Available (Minimal Risk) -- 1. Take database offline (force close any lingering handles) ALTER DATABASE YourDatabaseName SET OFFLINE; -- 2. Manually delete any orphaned log file from OS (if present but corrupt) The database is technically online but inaccessible to users