A database enters "In Recovery" mode after SQL Server restarts or when a database is brought online. During this process, SQL Server goes through three phases: analysis, redo, and undo. If the undo phase takes a long time—often due to uncommitted transactions, large log files, or IO bottlenecks—the database can appear stuck.
While SQL Server is recovering the database, users cannot access it, which leads many to believe it’s frozen or broken. In most cases, SQL Server will eventually complete the recovery on its own, but it may take hours depending on the size of the log and system resources.
Common culprits:
Q: Is it safe to restart SQL Server while a database is in recovery?
A: Generally no. Doing so can reset the recovery process or worsen the issue. Only restart if you're sure there's no active transaction still rolling back and you have backups.
Q: How long does database recovery take?
A: It depends on the size of the transaction log and how many transactions need to be rolled back. It could take minutes or several hours.
Q: Can I stop a recovery process?
A: No, the recovery process cannot be canceled once started. The only way to regain access faster is to restore from backup or wait it out.
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