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.
>