How to Recover MS SQL Database from Suspect Mode?

Summary: This post is intended for users looking for solutions to recover MS SQL database (db) from Suspect Mode. It describes steps to fix the SQL server suspect database issue by running Transact-SQL (T-SQL) commands in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). Also, it provides an alternative solution to restore the database by using a SQL Recovery tool. 

Sometimes when connecting to a SQL Server database, you may find that the database is marked as Suspect.

When SQL database goes into suspect mode, it becomes inaccessible. In such a situation, you will neither be able to connect to the database nor able to recover it during server startup.

Reasons Why SQL Database is Marked as Suspect

When SQL server suspects the primary filegroup of the database to be damaged or if the database file is missing, the database status is set to ‘Suspect’.

Also, there are a wide range of errors that could result in SQL database in suspect mode. Some of them are listed as below:

1. System fails to open the device where the data or log file of SQL server resides.
2. SQL server crashes or restarts in the middle of a transaction, resulting in a corrupt or inaccessible transactions log file.
3. SQL Server tries to open a database, and the file belonging to that database is already open by anti-virus software installed on your system.
4. The database is terminated abnormally.
5. Lack of disk space.
6. SQL cannot complete a rollback or roll forward operation.
7. Database files are being held by the operating system, third-party backup software, etc.

Steps to Recover MS SQL Database from Suspect Mode

NOTE: You can try restoring the suspect database from a good known backup. If the backup is not available, proceed with the following steps.

Follow the steps in sequence given below to recover MS SQL database from suspect mode:

Step 1: Open SSMS and connect to the database.

Step 2: Select the New Query option.

Step 3: In the Query editor window, enter the following code to turn off the suspect flag on the database and set it to EMERGENCY:

EXEC sp_resetstatus ‘db_name’;
ALTER DATABASE db_name SET EMERGENCY

Step 4: Perform a consistency check on the master database. To do so, copy and paste the following code in the query editor:

Figure 5: Check Database Consistency

DBCC CHECKDB (‘database_name’)

Step 5: Next, bring the database into the Single User mode and roll back the previous transactions by using the code:

Figure 6: Set Database to Single_User Mode

ALTER DATABASE database_name SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE

Step 6: Take a complete backup of the database.

Step 7: Attempt the Database Repair allowing some data loss by using the DBCC CHECKDB ‘REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS’ command:

Figure 7: Repair Database with DBCC CHECKDB

DBCC CHECKDB (‘database_name’, REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS)

Step 8: Bring the database into the Multi-User mode:

Figure 8: Set Database to Multi-User Mode

ALTER DATABASE database_name SET MULTI_USER

Step 9: Refresh the database server.

After completing these steps, you should be able to connect to the database. In case of any data loss, you’ll have the db backup to restore from (Step 6).

What if this solution doesn’t work?

If your server database file has turned severely corrupt, the above-mentioned steps may fail to revive the database. At this point, try restoring the database by using Stellar Repair for MS SQL.

The software can fix  common SQL database corruption errors that occur due to reasons such as database in suspect mode and several others. The software uses advanced algorithms to repair SQL db and restores it to normal state (online).

Steps to Recover ‘SQL Database from Suspect Mode’ with Stellar SQL Recovery Tool

NOTE: Make sure to close the server instance before running Stellar Repair for MS SQL software.

Step 1: Download, install and run Stellar Repair for MS SQL software.

Step 2: From Select Database window, choose Browse or Search to select SQL database file (.mdf) of the suspect database.

Figure 9: Select Database File

Step 3: Once the file is selected, hit Repair.

Figure 10- Repair Selected File

NOTE: Make sure to uncheck the ‘Include Deleted Records’ checkbox if you don’t want the deleted records to be recovered.

Step 4: Preview the repaired MDF file for recoverable SQL server database objects.

Figure 11: Preview window

Step 5: Click Save on File menu to save the repaired file.

Figure 12: File menu

Step 6: From Save Database window, perform the following:

• Select MDF under Save As.
• Save the repaired file in New database or Live database.
• Fill in the details under Connect To Server.

Figure 13: Save Database window

Step 7: Click Save.

Open SSMS and attach the db (containing the repaired MDF file). You will be able to access the database. 

Additional features of the software

• Repairs corrupt MDF and NDF files.
• Recovers tables, triggers, keys, indexes, stored procedures, defaults, rules, schema, etc.
• Supports MS SQL 2019, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2008 R2, and lower versions.
• Provides multiple saving options to save the repaired database including MS SQL (MDF), CSV, HTML, and XLS.

The software is trusted by Microsoft MVPs

Conclusion

This post discussed methods on ‘How to recover MS SQL database from suspect mode’. It outlined the manual steps to fix the database in suspect mode issue. Also, it explained how you can use Stellar Repair for MS SQL software to repair and restore the suspect database.