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I'm helping a friend try and restore a SQL Server database. The hard drive crashed that had his Server 2003, SQL Server 2005 and databases on it. So far he has reinstalled Server 2003 Enterprise and has the MDF and LDF files from the database.

How can I tell which updates were applied to the server hard drive that crashed? We still have the hard drive that crashed, and can attach it as an external USB drive using a USB enclosure, we just can't boot off the old hard drive. I'm trying to get the new SQL server install on the same patch/update level as the old so I can attach the mdf and ldf files and get this up and running again.

Are there any log files on the crashed drive we can access to find out which version/patch/updates of SQL Server they were using before?

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You don't need to have the new server at the same patch level in order to reattach a user database, it's only the system databases for which you need to worry about patch level and even then it's just better to rebuild the new server keeping its own system databases. As long as you're using the same edition of SQL Server on the new install you can reattach a user database just fine.

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  • Thanks for clearing that up. I rebuilt the server and installed a new sql server 2005. When I try to attach the MDF/LDF file I get the following error: The header for file '_log.LDF' is not a valid database file header. The PageAudit property is incorrect. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 5172). This is a vanilla SQL Server 2005 install. No service packs yet. Should I install the service packs first?
    – ItsPronounced
    Aug 8, 2010 at 17:16
  • @drpcken No, unfortunately that sounds like a different problem that service packing isn't going to avoid. Did you make sure to browse to the appropriate place where log file is and give it a name when you tried to reattach? Also, what recovery model was your database in on the old server?
    – squillman
    Aug 8, 2010 at 17:30
  • Well I just found out the original was an Express edition and the friend I am helping installed SQL Server 2005 (full). I'm going to try installing express and get it up to date and try to attach them to that instance instead. I'm not sure what the old model was (wasn't my database, I'm just helping). I'm guessing it was FULL though because the LDF file is 90 gigs :(
    – ItsPronounced
    Aug 8, 2010 at 17:35
  • Yeah, give that a try. I'm guessing you're right about the recovery model :) If it still doesn't go you might be dealing with corruption of your log file...
    – squillman
    Aug 8, 2010 at 18:10
  • i had to end up making a new db with the same name, stopping sql services and overwriting the newly created mdf with the old mdf. Everything seems to be working now. Thank you!
    – ItsPronounced
    Aug 8, 2010 at 19:41

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