Log files continue to grow

  • We have a case where the SQL log files continue to grow even though they are being backed up regularly.  The recovery mode is 'Full'; the DB size is only about 6 GB, but the logs are over 27 GB at this point.

    When viewed in Enterprise Manager, the logs are over 90% full, so they are being fully utilized (not a lot of empty space).

    This isn't normal, is it?


    Richard D. Cushing
    Sr. Consultant
    SYNGERGISTIC SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, LLC

  • When was the last full database backup?

    Try issuing a checkpoint against the database before the next transaction log backup. You might like to schedule a more frequent transaction log backup to keep the log file from growing too big!

  • ackup the transaction log. Backing up of the transaction log will automatically issue a checkpoint. Then you can use DBCC SHRINKFILE to actually reduce the size of the log file.

    Pankaj Khanna
    Database Administrator - SQL Server 2000

    Keep hope to keep you intact...

  • Hi,

    you could also create an backup transaction log job with "SQL Server performance condition alert", use the counter "percent log used" and "rise above" with a value "60.

    With this you have an automatic transaction log backup and its independent from a time schedule. I hope you understand this 🙂 i am not a native Englisch speaker 🙂

  • Two further observations:

    1. Backing up the transaction log will only issue a checkpoint if you are using the NO_LOG or TRUNCATE_ONLY clauses (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/tsqlref/ts_ca-co_241g.asp);

    2. Could your problem be related to this fix in this KB article?

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909369

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