Disaster..

Scenario:
w2k server sp4
sql server 2k sp3a
I had on USB external disk (160gb from maxtor) 3,34 GB MDF file and LDF
of some size.
Yesterday night I encountered some read errors on it.
W2k suggests me to run CHKDSK /F, that I obviously do.
When system restarts that 3,34 GB MDF file is now size 0kb!!!
Now...
I know that I should have a backup but these data aren't so
important...but If I can retrieve them is better than nothing !!!!!
I'm trying to restore some files with lots of recovery tools but I
notice that all of them find thousands of files...
How can I do, if possible, to obtain my MDF back "full" of data?
Any help MUCH MUCH appreciated...
Best Regards.
--
F.Fabri,
You really shouldn't put SQL Server data files on an exernal USB drive.
Anyway, there's not much you can do in this instance unless you send the
drive off to a specialist for repair (expensive). I have heard that
putting it in the freezer for a few hours can revive it. However, if
your CHKDSK has overwritten or "fixed" sectors on the disk, it is
unlikely you will get the data back without a corrupt MDF file.
I think your only choices here are to restore from backup, or start again.
--
Mark Allison, SQL Server MVP
http://www.markallison.co.uk
Looking for a SQL Server replication book?
http://www.nwsu.com/0974973602m.html
Fabri wrote:
> Scenario:
> w2k server sp4
> sql server 2k sp3a
>
> I had on USB external disk (160gb from maxtor) 3,34 GB MDF file and LDF
> of some size.
> Yesterday night I encountered some read errors on it.
> W2k suggests me to run CHKDSK /F, that I obviously do.
> When system restarts that 3,34 GB MDF file is now size 0kb!!!
> Now...
> I know that I should have a backup but these data aren't so
> important...but If I can retrieve them is better than nothing !!!!!
> I'm trying to restore some files with lots of recovery tools but I
> notice that all of them find thousands of files...
> How can I do, if possible, to obtain my MDF back "full" of data?
> Any help MUCH MUCH appreciated...
> Best Regards.
>