Can I manually extract data from MDF/LDF files?

[Guest]

The backup step of the conversion process (invoked by pointing to it from
Control Panel->Mail) fails 1/3 thru (backing up before conversion) and thus,
I can no longer access my BCM contacts database. I have tried to uninstall
the BCM Update, reinstall the original and nothing works, it just keeps
crashing before it even gets the database open. Is there any way to extract
data without going through Exchange()/Outlook() so I can inport it into the
new BCM database? I have tried linking in Access but as I only know how to
use Outlook() and that now points to the new BCM. Is there an OCBC/JDBC
method of accessing the data in the MDF/LDF files?

 

[Luther]

MDF files contain the BCM SQL Server/MSDE database.
LDF files only contain indexes, and are not very interesting.

You should find an ODBC driver for SQL Server on your machine. You can
use that to read MDF files. However, first the database must be loaded
into a SQL Server instance, and you may need some SQL Server tools to
do that. Unlike, Access and dbase files, the SQL Server ODBC needs to
talk to a running server to access the database. THE ODBC driver can't
read the MDF file itself.

It shouldn't crash trying to migrate an MDF file from v1 to v2 (unless
the MDF file got corrupted--then all bets are off). You should contact
Microsoft support and explain the crash. They probably ask for your
file to try to duplicate the problem. If the file isn't corrupted,
they'll probably try to fix the problem.

 

[Edwin Garst]

Luther,
I have been lurking for a few days and would like to add some information
here.

The LDF file is actually the transaction log. When the database is set to
full recovery mode the log contains each change made to the database. The
log is cleared after a successful backup of the database. If you don't
perform backups then the log just continues to grow. The log can be used
during a disaster recovery to bring the database back up to date.

For more information I found the following reference:
http://www.akadia.com/services/sqlsrv_programming.html

Check the physical database files and file groups heading.

HTH

Edwin Garst
www.epconsystems.com

 

[Guest]

Funny thing, it wasn't dying during the migration, but during the
pre-migration backup. I checked the event log after a clean boot and there
was something in there about a WMI (Windows Managent Instrumentation) error.
So, after researching that for a little while and uninstalling and
re-installing it via Control Panel seemed to fix the WMI issue and voila,
restoring the MDF from a copy I made before Upgrading BCM and then migrating
went smoothly.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Luther]

I ran into a WMI error in the event log last month. It should up
whenever I tried to connect to SQL. I noticed that a WMI DLL was
different on the PC with the problem. I suspect a Windows or SQL SP or
hotfix failed to update all its files correctly. I ended up
reinstalling Xp and SP2 and haven't seen the problem since.

I guess the lesson here is to remember check the Windows event log when
you run into problems.

 

[Guest]

Problem is everytime I make whatever tweaks are necessary to bring the systen
back into line, something always knocks it back out again. You don't realize
it until something outright 'breaks' and even then the App/Sys/Error Log
isn't always the first place I go. (prob should be).

Any way you know of to trigger some type of an alarm or messagebox or
something when an event beyond a certain severity level is triggered?

 

[Luther]

Google for "Windows event viewer" and alert. There appear to some free
and commercial products.