SSMS backup failed with ‘Cannot use the backup file because it was originally formatted with sector size 4096’. Here is why it happens and the easy fix.
Install the WideWorldImporters Sample Database
To install the WideWorldImporters sample database, restore its backup file in SSMS and check the files and the row counts. This post explains the Full and Standard versions, the disk space you need, the permission trap, and three queries that prove the install worked.
How to Attach MDF Data File Without LDF Log File – Interview Question of the Week #078
Lost or corrupted your log file? Learn how to attach an MDF data file without the LDF log file, using T-SQL or SQL Server Management Studio.
Tail-Log Backup: Saving the Last Transactions Before a Restore
Take a tail-log backup before an approved restore, understand NORECOVERY and damaged-database options, and rehearse the full recovery chain.
What is a Master Database in SQL Server? – Interview Question of the Week #076
A reader told me he had dropped his master database. So here is the basic question: what is a master database in SQL Server, and why does it matter?
PowerShell – Backup SQL Server System Databases
A client visit showed me that basics like system database backups often get missed. Here is a PowerShell way to back up SQL Server System Databases.
PowerShell Script – Backup Every Database In SQL Server
A client wanted to automate backups with a script instead of a GUI. Here is the PowerShell and SMO script I have used for years to backup every database.