SQL Server Database Recovery
AS provides SQL Server database recovery for databases that fail at the storage or page level, where most of the actual data usually survives intact. We parse the data and log files directly, independent of the SQL Server engine, before any repair command is considered.
When you need this
- Database stuck in SUSPECT, RECOVERY_PENDING or EMERGENCY mode
- Database stuck "In Recovery" for an unusually long time after a crash or restart
- MDF/NDF files corrupted after a storage fault or unclean shutdown
- Transaction log (LDF) corrupted or missing
- Backup (.bak) file damaged or incomplete
- tempdb corruption preventing the instance from starting
- Always On Availability Group failover leaving a database in RESTORING state
- TDE (Transparent Data Encryption) certificate lost or unavailable
- Tables or rows deleted without a usable backup
- Considering DBCC CHECKDB with REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS
What we do
File-level parsing
Our SQL Server database recovery reads MDF/NDF data files directly at the page level, without attaching to a SQL Server instance, to extract tables and records from files that won't mount.
Manual hex-level verification
SQL Server stores data in fixed 8KB pages, each starting with a 96-byte header that encodes the page ID, page type, object ID, index ID and LSN (log sequence number). When automated parsing hits a page whose header is ambiguous or partially overwritten, a technician inspects the raw bytes directly in a hex/disk editor to identify the true page boundaries and object linkage before deciding how to proceed — rather than letting an automated tool guess.
Transaction log recovery
LDF files are examined for recent, uncommitted or deleted changes where the space hasn't been overwritten.
.bak restoration
Damaged or partial backup files are analysed for the recoverable portion, rather than assuming the whole backup is unusable.
System database and instance-level issues
Where tempdb, model or msdb corruption prevents the instance from starting at all, we work at the instance/file level to get user databases accessible again independently of the broken system database.
Availability Group / clustering scenarios
Where a failover has left a replica in RESTORING or SUSPECT state, we assess the underlying data and log files directly rather than assuming the replica itself is unrecoverable.
Safer than REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS
SQL Server's own repair option deletes corrupted pages rather than reconstructing them. We assess a file-level or backup recovery path first, since it can retrieve data that repair would simply discard.
MDF/NDF files are made of fixed 8KB pages, each with its own header — a damaged or unreadable page doesn't make the rest of the file unreadable.
How it works
- Step 1
Consultation and scope
We establish what failed, what has been tried, and which data matters most. This shapes a targeted plan rather than a generic one.
- Step 2
Secure imaging and diagnosis
Where possible the source media is imaged before any work, so the original is never altered. Diagnosis then determines the safest recovery method.
- Step 3
Recovery
Data is extracted from the image or source using methods matched to the failure — logical, structural or hardware-level as required.
- Step 4
Verification
Recovered data is checked for integrity and completeness, and a file list is shared so you can confirm what matters is there.
- Step 5
Secure delivery
Verified data is returned through an agreed secure method, with guidance on validation before it goes back into production.
What affects the outcome
Outcomes are never guaranteed. Every case is assessed on its own condition, and we tell you what is realistic before you commit.
- Physical condition of the media and the extent of any damage
- Whether the media has been written to, reformatted or re-initialised since the failure
- Encryption, corruption or partial overwriting of the data
- Availability of source data such as images, backups, logs or transaction records
- Attempts made before assessment (rebuilds, repair tools, repeated reboots)
Frequently asked questions
Should I run DBCC CHECKDB with REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS?
Not before a copy is taken and an assessment is done. That option deletes corrupted pages rather than recovering them, and can discard data that a file-level recovery could have retrieved.
Our database shows SUSPECT — is the data gone?
Usually not. SUSPECT typically means SQL Server can't safely bring the database online, not that the underlying pages are destroyed. An assessment determines what's actually recoverable.
The database has been stuck "In Recovery" for hours — is that normal?
Briefly, yes — SQL Server runs redo/undo on restart, which takes time proportional to how much uncommitted work was in flight. If it's been stuck far longer than expected, or the log itself is damaged, that's when a file-level assessment is worth doing rather than continuing to wait indefinitely.
Can you recover from just the .bak file if the live database is gone?
Often yes, and also from a damaged or partial backup — we analyse what portion of the backup is structurally intact rather than requiring a complete, healthy file.
We lost the TDE certificate — is an encrypted database unrecoverable?
This is one of the harder cases, since Transparent Data Encryption is designed specifically to make the data files unreadable without the certificate. Contact us for an honest assessment of your specific situation before assuming there's no path forward.
tempdb won't start and the whole instance is down — what now?
tempdb corruption is a system-level problem, not necessarily data loss in your actual databases. We work at the instance and file level to get user databases accessible again, independent of the broken system database.
Do you support SQL Server recovery for companies in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune or Mumbai?
Yes. MDF/LDF and backup file recovery is done from images and files, not on-site on your server, so we work with businesses in these cities and across India remotely, with secure courier pickup for physical storage and on-site visits available for enterprise cases.
Related services
Not sure what you're dealing with?
Describe the situation and we'll tell you what's realistic.