Recovering SQL database from the Error: 0x80004005 E_FAIL Minor error

Those of you who are working with SQL Server database in your organization must be knowing how the database grows with time. The database files can grow quickly, which sometimes hampers the performance of the system. Moreover, the internal structure of the database may get fragmented with time that eventually result in wastage of the disk space. To remove the fragments and make the system faster, you should use Compact and Repair utility in SQL Server. However, sometimes when you try to access the database, it does not open as intended and throws some error message. In such cases, you should take appropriate measures to address the issue. It may be possible that the database is corrupt. Then, you should replace it with updated backup. And if the backup is not available, then you should consider using a third-party SQL Recovery tool.

Consider a scenario wherein you are working on a database and you have tried to open a connection in the Query Analyzer. The connection fails and an error message is displayed, that is:

“Error: 0x80004005 E_FAIL
Minor Error: (25017)
Description: Unspecified Error”

A Microsoft embedded Visual Basic (eVB) application that uses CompactDatabase method is not able to compact a corrupted SQL Server CE database.

Cause:

The root cause for this error message is that the database that you are trying to compact is corrupt. This can be inferred from the fact that when CompactDatabase utility is used, the ActiveX code tries to initialize the source database before compacting it. If the initialize fails, CompactDatabase aborts. Hence, you cannot use CompactDatabase on a corrupted database because the Initialize method on a corrupted database always fails.

Resolution:

To resolve this issue and recover SQL database, you should obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Windows CE Edition. If the issue is not resolved, you should use a third-party SQL Database Recovery tool. Such tools employ fast yet sophisticated algorithms to scan damaged area for performing MS SQL recovery.

SQL Recovery software is an efficient tool that can perform SQL server recovery on the databases created in MS SQL Server 2008, 2005, 2000. It is able to recover various database components such as identity, rules, tables, indexes, defaults, stored procedures. This SQL recovery tool can also recover database constraints such as primary key, foreign key, unique key, check, etc. It is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, 2003 Server, XP, 2000.