How to Recover Corrupted SQL Server Database - Best Solutions

Encountered a corrupted or damaged SQL server database and don’t know what to do? Don’t worry, we are here to help you resolve the problem. There can be various causes that may lead to SQL database corruption, and there can be situations where the user is not well aware of how to recover corrupted SQL Server Database.

With this article, we will be targeting the major concerns of a user regarding database corruption and the recovery of the damaged or corrupted SQL database. But before proceeding with the solutions, we will discuss the causes that contribute to database corruption.

Possible Causes of SQL Database Corruption

The SQL database can be damaged or corrupted due to various reasons. There is not any primary cause for the same. From software issues to hardware issues and even human negligence, anything can contribute to a database getting corrupted. A few of the reasons can be:

• Hard Drive Issues: Any physical damage on the hard drive caused due to dust, temperature factors, or some other reason can result in data corruption.
• Sudden power outages: Sudden power failures during writing operations or improper shutdowns can also become one of the reasons for data corruption. 
• Bugs in software: Another cause of data corruption can be software bugs. The bugs may damage the data and lead to database corruption. 
• Virus/Malware attacks: Virus or malware attacks are one of the most common causes for database file corruption. 
• Unintentional deletion: Human errors like accidental deletion or improper modifications in database files may also result in data loss.

Similarly, there are numerous other reasons that may result in SQL database damage or corruption. After discussing the causes we now know that there is not any particular reason that causes database corruption and hence we will be discussing different solutions to resolve this problem. Moving on to the next step, let’s discuss what all can be the solutions that will help the user to overcome this issue. 

How to Fix Corrupted SQL Server Database?

As we discussed earlier, there can be various solutions to repair the corrupted SQL database. So we will be discussing the solutions one by one to find the optimal solution for the users. 

Beginning with the manual method for repairing the corrupted SQL database, we will learn how a user can resolve their issue with this method and if there are any possible challenges while carrying out the process. 

Manual Method to Resolve the Issue

To repair the SQL database using this method, the user has to use the DBCC CHECKDB command. But before getting on the solution, we will first understand what this command is and how it works. 

DBCC CHECKDB is a SQL Server command that is used to detect any type of database corruption or damages. DBCC stands for Database Console Commands and can be used as a solution to fix the corrupted SQL server database. The DBCC Command is supposed to be run with a repair option. The following are the repair options available for repairing the SQL server. 

REPAIR_FAST: This option repairs and fixes the issue more quickly than the other options. But there are high possibilities that the file may not be completely recovered or fixed. Additionally, this option is more suitable for minor damages or corruptions. 

REPAIR_REBUILD: This option allows the user to rebuild indexes along with other functions that are performed within the REPAIR_FAST option. 

REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS: This option is used as the last resort while repairing the corrupted or damaged SQL database files. This option repairs the corrupted database but there are high possibilities of complete data loss during the process. 

These three repair options can be used as per the user’s requirements and the damage or corruption intensity. Let’s now move on to the steps on how to use this method for recovery of the corrupted SQL Database. 

Steps to Follow for the Manual Method

These steps will be implemented in the MS SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

1. The first step is to set the SQL Database in the emergency mode by running the following command: ALTER DATABASE DATABASE_NAME SET EMERGENCY
[the emergency mode will give the complete access of the database to the admin only]

2. Then, check for any damage or corruption using the following command:
   DBCC CHECKDB(database_name)
   

3. Now, before moving on to the next step, set the SQL database to the SINGLE_USER mode with
    ALTER DATABASE DATABASE_NAME SET SINGLE_USER
[doing this will restrict any other user to access or operate the database for the time being]
   Till here we have inspected the database for any damage or corruption and set the database to single user only to avoid any clash during the repair process. 

4. Now to repair the SQL Database, the user will have to run the DBCC command along with a repair option in the following syntax:
   DBCC CHECKDB(N ‘database_name’,REPAIR_REBUILD)WITH ALL_ERRORMSGS, NO_INFOMSGS;
(this method is for the REPAIR_REBUILD option; users can opt for other options based
   on their requirements). 

5. When the database is successfully repaired, set the database again to the MULTI_USER mode using ALTER DATABASE DATABASE_NAME SET MULTI_USER 

This method repairs the corrupted database, but the user who wishes to use this command must have technical knowledge about it. As we can see, this method not only requires technicalities but also is a lengthy and complex process. If the user needs to repair their database for future purposes, they can use this manual method, but if they need an instant solution, this method may not be a good choice.  

So what else can we do in this situation? We can choose a professional solution that will help the user to not only resolve this issue but also overcome the challenges faced in the manual method. 

Professional Approach to Recover Corrupted SQL Server Database

What we learned from the manual method is that it may help the user to recover their corrupted or damaged database, but it certainly is a lengthy process that requires a good technical knowledge. So to help the users repair and recover their databases instantly without any data loss, we bring here the optimal solution for the users. The SQL Database Recovery tool not only repairs but also recovers the data from the damaged database. Before learning more about the tool, let’s first discuss the steps of how the tool works. 

Steps to Follow for the Professional Approach

1. Install and launch the software. Then click on the Open button to open the MDF file in the software. 

2. As per the user’s requirements, they can either choose Quick Scan (for minor corruptions) or the Advanced Scan (for severely corrupted file).

3. A window with the completed scanning process will be displayed along with the preview of the database objects like tables, views, triggers, rules, etc. 

4. After the files are previewed, click on the export button to export the recovered database from the software. 

5. Add the required authentication details. Next, the user can either browse an existing database to overwrite or create a new database to export the recovered data. 

6. Now, choose the database and select the database objects to be exported. You will be provided with two export options: export with only schema and export with schema and data. 

7. When the export is completed click on the OK button.  

By following these methods, a user can not only recover their data from the damaged or corrupted SQL database but also export them into desired formats or destinations. Here we have tried to explain the steps in detail so the user does not face any problems while using this method. 

Why is the professional method better than the manual approach?

• After analyzing both the methods, we understood that the manual approach was not only lengthy but also complex for the users to understand. Whereas, the professional approach was more efficient and user-friendly. 

• The purpose of the manual method was to only recover the corrupted or damaged SQL database, but due to some reasons the method was unable to repair the database completely and also there was a high risk of complete data loss in the manual method. 

• On the other hand the professional approach was more convenient for the users as it offered the scanning options to inspect the damage intensity of the database, and also various other options to choose from before exporting the database. 

• The professional tool also supports all the MS SQL versions and is compatible with Windows 10,8,7, and the older versions. 

Conclusion

So, after understanding the methods to recover corrupted SQL server database, we can now conclude that the manual method can be used for repairing and recovery of the database but it is highly likely to do partial recovery or there will be chances of data loss during the process. On the other hand we discussed the automated solution that can help the users to recover as well as repair their SQL databases with complete efficiency and low risk of data loss.