What is Database Recovery Pending SQL Server & How to Fix it?

  

Rollins Duke   
Published: May 15th, 2025 • 8 Min Read

Managing and working on a SQL Server database is quite tricky. There are numerous states and situations where the DBAs encounter issues like database recovery pending SQL Server, and cannot figure out what they have to do to resolve the error. With the help of this guide, we will be discussing the recovery pending state along with the other states to understand them better. We will also find the best solutions that will help the users to resolve this issue and restore database from recovery pending state in SQL Server. 

Let’s first briefly understand what the recovery pending state in SQL Server database is and how it can be recovered.

What is Recovery Pending SQL Server? 

There are different states in the SQL Server like the Suspect State, Restoring State, and etc. One of these states is the Recovery Pending state. When SQL Server database enters this state, it means that the database is trying to initiate the recovery process, but cannot because it is restricted for some reason. The reasons for SQL Server to enter this state are not certain, but here are some of the causes that might be responsible for this state.

• When the database files are corrupted or missing, the SQL Server database might enter this state. 
• Disk Space issues can also be a common reason for the SQL database to enter this state. 
• Improper SQL database shutdown or abrupt power outage during operations forces the database to enter the Recovery Pending state.
• Misconfigured or inaccessible files in the database also restrict the database from starting the recovery process, and further lead to database recovery pending SQL Server. 
• If the database attach or restore process fails for any reason, this can also become a potential reason for the SQL Server database recovery pending state. 

All these reasons are responsible for the database entering the state and restricting the users from proceeding with the database recovery process. With the error, various challenges also occur. We will now see what the challenges are and how they can impact users’ day-to-day tasks. 

Difficulties Faced Due to Database Recovery Pending SQL Server

When the SQL database enters the recovery pending state, it restricts the users from performing various operations, including database recovery. Some of these challenges are mentioned here:

• During SQL Server database recovery pending state, the database becomes unavailable to users. This can lead to a delay in operations and further cause disruptions in the workflow. 
• One of the biggest challenges for users is the risk of permanent data loss. Mistakes in the recovery process of the database can lead to losing complete data in the database. 
• Another challenge encountered by the users is the uncertainty about the data integrity. When the database becomes unavailable for use, users are not able to check the safety and integrity of their data. 
• In case the users do not have the backups of the desired database, they might face challenges in resolving the issue and accessing the database again. 
• The recovery from the database requires the users to have deep technical knowledge. The methods required for the database recovery pending SQL Server restoration can be complex for non-technical users to understand, and incorrect implementation might result in bigger issues. 

With these challenges, database administrators get concerned about how to restore SQL database from recovery pending state. The methods to fix the database states are quite complex, and when the users need to recover SQL database from suspect mode to normal mode, or repair the recovery pending state, they get worried about data safety. We will now take a look at the possible methods that will help the users to resolve the issue and access their database smoothly. 

How to Repair Database Recovery Pending SQL Server?

As we understood earlier, there are various reasons for the database to enter the recovery pending state. Therefore, to resolve the issue, there are different methods. We will now take a look at the best solutions possible to make the database accessible again. 

Method 1: Fix the SQL Server Database Recovery Pending With Backup

This is one of the solutions that will help the users to restore the database from recovery pending. The method is helpful for users if they have access to the backup files of their database. 

To restore the database using the backup file, the following command will be used:

RESTORE DATABASE DBName
FROM DISK = ‘C:\Backup\DBName.bak’
WITH REPLACE;

This command will help you restore the database using the backup file and resolve the issue efficiently. But, in case the user does not have a backup of the specified database, the method will not work. 

Let’s move to the next method to see how it helps the users with database restoration. 

Method 2: Restore Database Using Detach and Re-Attach Method

Another solution for the database recovery pending SQL Server is using the Detach and Re-attach method. This method is helpful for situations where the transaction log file is missing. Detaching the database from the SQL Server and reattaching it using the primary database file will help rebuild the transaction log. The method can be implemented using the following steps:

• To detach the SQL Server Database, use the given command:
  EXEC sp_detach_db ‘DatabaseName’;
  This command will help users detach the database easily from the SQL Server.

• To attach the database again to the SQL Server using the primary database file, we will now run the given command:
  CREATE DATABASE DBNAME ON
  (FILENAME = ‘C:\File_Path\DBName.mdf’)
  FOR ATTACH_REBUILD_LOG;

The command will help the users to attach the database to SQL Server again and further rebuild the log file of the specified database. 

Using this method for SQL Server database recovery pending restoration helps the database administrators in situations where the log file of the database is missing or compromised. This method can lead to possible data loss in case there are any uncommitted transactions in the old log file. We will now move to the next method to see how it helps with the database recovery pending SQL Server.

Method 3: Repair Recovery Pending Using DBCC CHECKDB

The DBCC CHECKDB command helps inspect potential damage or corruption in the database. Using the command will help the users detect any corruption in the database and fix it using the built-in repair modes. The steps to implement this method are a follows:

1. The first step requires setting the database in Emergency mode, so the process is not disrupted by other users.
   ALTER DATABASE (DBName) SET EMERGENCY;
   GO
2. Next, it is important to set the database to single-user mode, so that no one else can access the database meanwhile. The following command will be run for the same:
   ALTER DATABASE (DBName) SET SINGLE_USER;
   GO
3. Now, to run the DBCC command with the repair mode, we will use the given code:
   DBCC CHECKDB ([DBName], REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS);
4. Lastly, we will set the database back to Multi-user mode to allow the users to access the database again using the given command:
   ALTER DATABASE (DBName) SET MULTI_USER;
   GO

These commands will help the database administrators to inspect the database for any possible issues and then repair it using the repair modes available. But the mode we have used here, REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS, is used as the last resort to resolve the issue. This mode helps resolve the issue, but can result in permanent data loss. 

Now, moving on to see how a professional solution can help with database recovery pending SQL Server, and why it is better than other methods. 

Method 4: SQL Server Database Recovery Pending Fix Using Expert Solution

In this method, we will now use a professional solution to resolve this issue. Using the manual methods to resolve the error, we learned that there are limitations with those methods, which require complex technicalities or might end up resulting in data loss if not implemented properly. We will now use the BitRecover SQL Recovery Tool to resolve the error more efficiently. 

The steps to use the professional solution are: 

1. Install and launch the automated repair tool.
   
   
2. Click on the Open Button to add the database files to the software.
   
   
3. Next, choose the scan mode from Quick Scan or Advance Scan, depending on the severity of corruption.
   
   
4. After the scan, preview the files and click on the Export Button. Add the required authentication credentials of the destination SQL Server database.
   
   
5. Next, choose the database objects to be exported and click on the Export button again.
   
   

By following these steps, users can efficiently repair the recovery pending SQL Server issue. The solution allows the users to access the database again in a hassle-free way. 

Conclusion 

When users encounter the issue with database recovery pending SQL Server, they tend to get worried about how to resolve the issue. Through this write-up, we have discussed the causes, challenges, and the best ways that will help the users to resolve the recovery pending issue and access the database again seamlessly.