Master Database Restoration
I’ve been learning quite a bit lately about restoring databases from a complete database failure. Although rite now, I’m am working with a test to verify we can restore from one. I’m not involved in all the steps such as tape restoration, but I am involved in one of the most critical parts. The restoration of the Master database.
It turns out that you can’t just restore a master database in SQL Servers normal operation mode (multi-user). I had to start the service in single-user mode from the command line. From there on out, you can go into enterprise manager and restore the master database.
Why is the master database so important that it needs single-user mode? Because it contains all the data that the server itself uses for its own operation. Everything from maintenance plans, other databases in the ssystem, user accounts, etcetera.
Just make sure if you restore a master database, that the version of SQL server is the same that it was backed up from. This includes having the same service pack installed as well. SQL Server SP3 master database can not be restored on SQL Server SP4.