. What is transaction log backup?

. I can not find the tempdb database , Why?

. When should I back up the master database?

. Can I back up database from remote network to local harddisk ?

. After I restore the master database , a database is missing , Why ?

. How to start SQL Server in single-user mode?

. Can I use backups in Microsoft SQL Server's Query Analyzer ?

. How to restore database to the point of failure?

. How to rebuild the master database?

. How to import the previous backup records?

. How do we restore the backup on a fresh system?

. I have more questions , Who should I write to?

What is SQL Server Backup? Up

SQL Server Backup is a backup and restore utility for Microsoft SQL Server . The user-friendly wizard let you backup and restore SQL Server database to local hard disk or remote network driver easily and quickly.

What is the system requirement? Up

• Windows NT/ME/2000/2003/XP, IE4.0 or later for Backup Manager.
• Windows NT/2000/2003/XP, IE4.0 or later for Backup Agent and Storage Server.
• 500 MHz or higher CPU
• 64 Mb or More RAM
• 50 Mb at lease free hard disk spaces

Do I have to pay for the upgrades? Up

No! All upgrades are free to registered users basic the same edition.

Is tech-support free? Up

Yes! It's free for email support.

How much is it? Up

Please visit the http://www.databk.com to get the latest version's price information .

About the system database in Microsoft SQL Server. Up

There are four system databases in Microsoft SQL Server : master , model , msdb , tempdb.For more detail information , please visit http://www.dbarecovery.com

Is it safe to use? Up

Yes.

Microsoft SQL Server provides standard interfaces to all third-party software vendors to perform backups and restores. SQL Server Backup uses exactly the same interfaces.


When is a full Backup required Up

You need to perform a full database backup immediately after you have performed any one of the following actions, or you might be unable to use that backup with your last full database backup to restore the database successfully .

• Created a new database
• Changed the recovery model of the database
• Changed the number of files or file groups in the database
• Changed the arrangement of files among the file groups
• Canceled a full backup job while it is running
• Modified the structure of the database, including adding or removing a table or a column in a table
• Added or removed an index
• Restored the database from backups

• A relatively small portion of the data in the database has changed since the last database backup. Differential database backups are most efficient if the same data is modified frequently
• You are using the Simple Recovery model, which does not permit Transaction log backups, and you want to perform backups more frequently than is practical for full database backups
• You are using the Full or Bulk-Logged Recovery model and want to minimize the time it takes to roll forward Transaction log backups when restoring a database

Transaction log backup is a backup for log files of a database .Backing up the transaction log periodically to create a sequence of transaction log backups offers users the most flexibility in restoring databases. By creating transaction log backups, a database can be restored to any point in time contained within the sequence of transaction logs, right up to the point of failure , because it is possible to back up the currently active transaction log even if the database is inaccessible.

I can not find the tempdb database , Why? Up

The tempdb database doesn't and shouldn't ever be backed up. It is actually recreated every time SQL Server is started.

When should I back up the master database? Up

If information in master has been changed , you should back up the master database . If master is not backed up after it changes, any changes since the last backup are lost if the backup is restored. For example, if a user database is created after master is backed up, tables and data added to the database, and then master is restored because of a hard disk failure, the user database will not be known to SQL Server because there are no entries in the restored master database for this new user database.

The types of operations that cause master to be updated, and that require a backup to take place include:

• Creating or deleting a user database.
• If a user database grows automatically, by virtue of the auto grow feature, to accommodate new data, this does not affect master. Adding and deleting files and file groups does not affect master.
• Adding logins or other login security-related operations.
• Database security operations, such as adding a user to a database, do not affect master.
• Changing any server-wide or database configuration options.
• Creating or removing backup devices.
• Using SQL Server Enterprise Manager to perform any of these operations.
• Configuring the server for distributed queries and remote procedure calls, such as adding linked servers, or remote logins.

Can I backup database from remote network to local harddisk ? Up

Yes.

To do this you must have privilege to install SQL Server Backup on the remote server. SQL Server Backup need to be installed on the machine running MS SQL Server.

After I restore the master database , a database is missing , Why? Up

Maybe the database is created after master is backed up. Because master backup set has no entry about the new database , after master is restored , the user database will not be known to SQL Server . In this case , if all database files comprising the user database still exist on the hard disk , the user database can be created by attaching the database files .

Just open the Query Analyzer ,and then execute the following SQL  statements : (we attach pubs database as sample)

    EXEC sp_attach_db @dbname = N'pubs',
    @filename1 = N'c:\mssql7\data\pubs.mdf',
    @filename2 = N'c:\mssql7\data\pubs_log.ldf'

How to start SQL Server in single-user mode? Up

Restoring master database require SQL Server start in single-user mode .You can execute the following command in Start->Run :

    sqlservr.exe -m
or
    {SQL Server installation directory}\bin\sqlservr.exe -m

Can I use backup in Microsoft SQL Server's Query Analyzer ? Up

Yes , but you should convert DataBK Backup to Microsoft SQL Server raw backup at first .

How to restore database to the point of failure? Up

If your database's recovery modal is "Simple" , you can not restore to the point of failure , in this case , please select the latest differential and full backup do the restore. If your database's recovery modal is not "Simple" , to restore database to the point of failure :

1) Back up the tail of transaction log after SQL Server fails . 
    To get this type of transaction log backup , please select the backup type "Do not remove inactive entries from transaction log." , see following instruction. If this step is fails  , it indicates that the storage log file may have problems , it can not be read , in this case , the database can not be restored to point of failure . 
  

2) Remove the error the cause the database fails .

3) Create a new restoration job and select this transaction log backup to restore the database .

How to rebuild the master database? Up

In some edition of SQL Server installation directory  , there is a program named rebuildm.exe ,(If you can't find it  , you have to find it on MS website . )you start this program and follow it's instructions to rebuild the master database .

How to import the previous backup records? Up

If you have to reinstall our program because hard disk failed or other reasons, you can import the previous backup records as below:

1. Click the "Import Backup" menu.

2. Import records from old backups.

3. After you import backups  , you can use these backups to restore database .




How do we restore the backup on a fresh system? Up

If you start from a new installed system (os ,db reinstall), you can restore the database by following steps:

1 . Install SQL Server Backup software on new system .

2 . Prepare your backup sets in a certain directory (the latest full backup and a differential backup ,transaction log backup are enough ).

3 . Click "Action->Import ..." menu to import these backups .

4 . Make a restore job to restore your database .


Notice:
1 . System databases are not recommended (master , msdb , temp .etc).
2 . If you first time restore to the fresh target system  , and if the database name has already existed on target server , please use the Force overwrite existing file restore options.

I have more questions , who should I write to? Up

Please send your additional questions to support@databk.com.