When connecting to a database in SQL Server, you might encounter the SUSPECT mode issue. This occurs when you start the SQL database recovery but it fails to complete properly. You are unable to access, connect, or recover the database as a result. Several reasons that lead your database to Suspect Mode may include:
- Corrupted transactional log file of the database
- SQL server restarts or crashes during a transaction leading to a corrupt file
- Lack of space for the SQL Server to recover the database when starting up
- Insufficient memory or disk space causing problems in opening the database
- Abrupt SQL Server shutdown
- Power or hardware failure
- Malicious attack
- Issues caused when doing a transaction or rolling back
Troubleshooting the Suspect Mode issue
When the SQL Database goes into SUSPECT mode, any kind of transaction remains restricted unless the database is back online. A quick move to resolving suspect mode issues is therefore to download the Stellar repair for MS SQL software.
This SQL database repair software will ensure satisfying SQL recovery, setting you free from suspect mode. Here are several other methods that you can use when resolving the suspect mode issues.
Having a prior backup will help in database restoration. In its absence, you may try the following steps to resolve the suspect mode issue:
Step 1: Set the Database to Emergency Mode
- Open SQL Server Management Studio
- Connect to the database
- Open New Query
- In the resulting Query Editor Window, type the below code to set the database in Emergency mode – ALTER DATABASE dbName SET EMERGENCY
- After changing the status of your database, you can start accessing it.
Step 2: Integrity Check for database
You can check if your database is corrupt or not by executing the following Database Console Command (DBCC) command – DBCC CHECKDB (‘db_name’)
If the command figures out any problem with the database, it will recommend several options depending on the issue:
- REPAIR_REBUILD
- REPAIR_FAST
- REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS
Step 3: Assign single user mode to the database
Use the following command to set your database to single mode:
ALTER DATABASE db_name SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE
The command also rollbacks any database transaction.
Step 4: Fix consistency errors
After putting the database in single User mode, the next task would be to correct the consistency errors. Before that, make sure to backup the corrupted files to avoid any instance of data loss later on.
To fix the consistency errors, you can use the following command:
DBCC CHECKDB (‘db_name’, REPAIR_REBUILD)
This will perform a quick SQL repair of the corrupted rows in the non-clustered indexes. This command can also help to rebuild an index.
If the DBCC CHECKDB command suggests REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS as the minimum level of the SQL repair, you can run the below command:
DBCC CHECKDB (‘db_name’, REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS)
Step 5: Set the database to multi user mode
If the script can run without hassles, proceed to revoke the single user mode and bring the database back to multi-user mode. The command is as below:
ALTER DATABASE db_name SET MULTI_USER
Step 6: Change State from Emergency to Online
Now is the time to bring the database online and resume working on it. Run the following command:
 ALTER DATABASE db_name SET ONLINE
Abiding by all these steps will assist you in resolving suspect mode issues. If the problem remains, restore the database from the most updated backup copy that you created before it came in the suspect mode. This will probably fix the problem.
In case you do not have an updated backup, create a copy of the MDF file and use the DBCC CHECKDB command to repair it.
Fixing Suspect Mode through SQL database repair software
In case, you are still unable to resolve the issue, use of third party SQL repair tool such as Stellar repair software for MS SQL would be advisable. SQL database repair software will facilitate prompt SQL recovery from the suspect mode. This will also be a recommended move if your backup is corrupt or if you have not created it recently.
The good thing is that this software is among the best for resolving suspect mode issues. Moreover, Stellar repair for MS SQL software supports SQL Server 2019 and all the other latest SQL Server versions.
Before proceeding with the software, close the server instance. Here are the steps:
- Download the Stellar Repair for MS SQL software.
- Install the software and run it.
- Choose the SQL database file of the suspect database from the Select Database window.
- Uncheck the ‘Include Deleted Records’ checkbox if you do not want to restore the deleted records
- Click Repair
- Go through the repaired MDF file
- Save the repaired MDF file as follows:
- File Menuà Saveà Save As: MDF à Saving Option: New Database or Live Database
- Enter the details in the Connect to Server section
- Click Save
- Open SQL Server Management Studio to attach the database that contains the repaired MDF file
- You can now access the database.
Bottomline
To troubleshoot the Suspect Mode issue arising with your database, the best method will be to restore the database from the most updated and healthy backup. In the absence of any such backup, set the database to Emergency mode before starting with the repair.
If you have performed the entire procedure correctly, your database will be accessible again. In case the problem persists, the Stellar Repair for MS SQL software can help to fix the issue. It can perform the SQL recovery of your database from Suspect mode to normal.
With over a decade in the tech field, Bogdan blends technical expertise with insights on business innovation in technology.
A regular contributor to TMS Outsource's blog, where you'll find sharp analyses on software development, tech business strategies, and global tech dynamics.
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