Hi folks,
As a novice on SQL Server, I did a default installation of Express 2008. After a while, C: drive got full because the transaction log had unrestricted growth.
First thing I did was to find out how to get some free space back. I discovered shrinking the log file, and it dropped from 15GB to 40MB.
Questions:
a) the Shrink file dialog showed 99% free; why did the file keep growing if it was vastly 'free'?
b) why does it not recycle the free space instead?
c) what happens to the DB when such an event (no room to grow log file) occurs?
Next, I observed the recovery model was 'Simple'.
Question:
d) how does this relate to the transaction log, in terms of purpose, content, growth, maintenance, etc.
Then, I amended the setting to restrict growth to 10GB.
Questions:
e) is this figure an overkill?
f) how do I figure out an optimum value?
g) what will happen when (if?) it reaches 10GB? eg. recycle?
h) how do I inspect what is currently in the file?
Many thanx in advance,
Shah