Stuck with a database showing "Recovery Pending" in SQL Server? Learn why this happens, how to fix it manually, and how to prevent data loss. We’ve all been there. You open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), refresh your database list, and instead of the usual green arrow next to your database, you see a dreaded yellow triangle and the text: (Recovery Pending) .
-- Then drop and re-add the log (replace 'YourDB_log' with your logical name) ALTER DATABASE YourDatabaseName REMOVE FILE YourDB_log; ALTER DATABASE YourDatabaseName ADD LOG FILE (NAME = YourDB_log, FILENAME = 'C:\YourPath\YourDatabaseName_log.ldf'); sql server recovery pending
Don’t panic. In this post, I’ll explain exactly what "Recovery Pending" means, why it happens, and—most importantly—how to bring your database back online. Recovery Pending is not a corruption error. It’s a startup state. It means that SQL Server knows the database exists, but the recovery process (the process that rolls back uncommitted transactions or rolls forward committed ones) has failed to complete. Stuck with a database showing "Recovery Pending" in
If none of these methods work, it’s time to call in a professional data recovery service that specializes in SQL Server. You open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), refresh
-- 3. Attempt to repair the database (allow data loss) ALTER DATABASE YourDatabaseName SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE; DBCC CHECKDB (YourDatabaseName, REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS); ALTER DATABASE YourDatabaseName SET MULTI_USER;