Help! Restarting the MSSQLSERVER service.

Can someone please tell me, perferrably an official Microsoft SQL profi, if
restarting the mssqlserver service could destroy any running databases?
I thought that logically, this wouldn't be able to be restarted if this was
the case.  I restart sometimes to get the databases back online and running.
Am I totally wrong here?

No, restarting an SQL Server service shouldn't destroy databases. What made
you ask this?
--
HTH,
Vyas, MVP (SQL Server)
SQL Server Articles and Code Samples @ http://vyaskn.tripod.com/


"Anthony Horner" < AnthonyHorner@discus
sions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D46EF01C-2C08-4A89-9BE1- CB0F1E529E6D@microso
ft.com...
Can someone please tell me, perferrably an official Microsoft SQL profi, if
restarting the mssqlserver service could destroy any running databases?
I thought that logically, this wouldn't be able to be restarted if this was
the case.  I restart sometimes to get the databases back online and running.
Am I totally wrong here?

SQL Server is designed to go through stop/start cycles without losing any
information.  There may be issues within a database that a stop/start cycle
will catch, but the process itself should not cause any problems.  If you
have a very long running transaction it may take a while for the recovery
process to complete.  If you have underlying hardware issues, a stop/start
can fail.

Why do you find it necessary to stop and restart SQL Server so often?  I
seldom restart the service, typically only when I have to reboot the host
computer for an OS patch.  I suspect that with a bit of tuning, tewaking,
and monitoring, you can get much better reliability and availability than
you have right now.

Geoff N. Hiten
Senior Database Administrator
Microsoft SQL Server MVP

"Anthony Horner" < AnthonyHorner@discus
sions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D46EF01C-2C08-4A89-9BE1- CB0F1E529E6D@microso
ft.com...
> Can someone please tell me, perferrably an official Microsoft SQL profi,
> if
> restarting the mssqlserver service could destroy any running databases?
> I thought that logically, this wouldn't be able to be restarted if this
> was
> the case.  I restart sometimes to get the databases back online and
> running.
> Am I totally wrong here?

Hi

Stopping SQL Server using Control Panel or Tray Icon or EM results in an
orderly shutdown.

Starting it again then starts the process of recovery, with incomplete
transactions being rolled back. If a database is corrupt, it may detect it
during startup too and will result in the DB being marked as 'suspect'.

What do you understand as "running database". A Process runs, not a database
.

If you are exeriencing intermittent problems like queries timing out, then
run sp_who2 to see what is happening, as restarting SQL Server will drop the
connections and you still do not find the casue of your blocking.

Regards
--------------------------
Mike Epprecht, Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Zurich, Switzerland

MVP Program: http://www.microsoft.com/mvp

Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/epprecht/



"Anthony Horner" wrote:

> Can someone please tell me, perferrably an official Microsoft SQL profi, i
f
> restarting the mssqlserver service could destroy any running databases?
> I thought that logically, this wouldn't be able to be restarted if this wa
s
> the case.  I restart sometimes to get the databases back online and runnin
g.
> Am I totally wrong here?

My CTO told me that I almost destroyed several production databases by my
actions....

I thank you for your answer and thought anyways that I hadn't lost my mind.



"Narayana Vyas Kondreddi" wrote:

> No, restarting an SQL Server service shouldn't destroy databases. What mad
e
> you ask this?
> --
> HTH,
> Vyas, MVP (SQL Server)
> SQL Server Articles and Code Samples @ http://vyaskn.tripod.com/
>
>
> "Anthony Horner" < AnthonyHorner@discus
sions.microsoft.com> wrote in messag
e
> news:D46EF01C-2C08-4A89-9BE1- CB0F1E529E6D@microso
ft.com...
> Can someone please tell me, perferrably an official Microsoft SQL profi, i
f
> restarting the mssqlserver service could destroy any running databases?
> I thought that logically, this wouldn't be able to be restarted if this wa
s
> the case.  I restart sometimes to get the databases back online and runnin
g.
> Am I totally wrong here?
>
>
>

Thanks guys for all the super quick answers!

I'm "just" a systems admin and not a database admin.  Therfore me,
adminstering a site office connecting to databases in the usa, I have
restarted the service a few times to get the situation working again.  You
know, when the databases seem to hang on all of the users side.  It's worked
in the past for my users here in Europe and a colleague of mine in Israel.

I was just so shocked about being accused of such a terrible thing.  It
caused a lot of mistrust, which is still there......

Thanks,
Anthony Horner

"Geoff N. Hiten" wrote:

> SQL Server is designed to go through stop/start cycles without losing any
> information.  There may be issues within a database that a stop/start cycl
e
> will catch, but the process itself should not cause any problems.  If you
> have a very long running transaction it may take a while for the recovery
> process to complete.  If you have underlying hardware issues, a stop/start
> can fail.
>
> Why do you find it necessary to stop and restart SQL Server so often?  I
> seldom restart the service, typically only when I have to reboot the host
> computer for an OS patch.  I suspect that with a bit of tuning, tewaking,
> and monitoring, you can get much better reliability and availability than
> you have right now.
>
> Geoff N. Hiten
> Senior Database Administrator
> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
>
> "Anthony Horner" < AnthonyHorner@discus
sions.microsoft.com> wrote in messag
e
> news:D46EF01C-2C08-4A89-9BE1- CB0F1E529E6D@microso
ft.com... 
>
>
>

Restart the service shouldn't be the solution. I know you are not the DBA,
but you should let your CTO know that the database needs tuning. I don't
restart SQL Server service for months, and when I do restart that'll be for
a software update or hardware maintenance etc.
--
HTH,
Vyas, MVP (SQL Server)
SQL Server Articles and Code Samples @ http://vyaskn.tripod.com/


"Anthony Horner" < AnthonyHorner@discus
sions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A520E89D-833C-4E0F-BD63- 663C2290755A@microso
ft.com...
Thanks guys for all the super quick answers!

I'm "just" a systems admin and not a database admin.  Therfore me,
adminstering a site office connecting to databases in the usa, I have
restarted the service a few times to get the situation working again.  You
know, when the databases seem to hang on all of the users side.  It's worked
in the past for my users here in Europe and a colleague of mine in Israel.

I was just so shocked about being accused of such a terrible thing.  It
caused a lot of mistrust, which is still there......

Thanks,
Anthony Horner

"Geoff N. Hiten" wrote:

> SQL Server is designed to go through stop/start cycles without losing any
> information.  There may be issues within a database that a stop/start
 cycle

> will catch, but the process itself should not cause any problems.  If you
> have a very long running transaction it may take a while for the recovery
> process to complete.  If you have underlying hardware issues, a stop/start
> can fail.
>
> Why do you find it necessary to stop and restart SQL Server so often?  I
> seldom restart the service, typically only when I have to reboot the host
> computer for an OS patch.  I suspect that with a bit of tuning, tewaking,
> and monitoring, you can get much better reliability and availability than
> you have right now.
>
> Geoff N. Hiten
> Senior Database Administrator
> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
>
> "Anthony Horner" < AnthonyHorner@discus
sions.microsoft.com> wrote in
 message
> news:D46EF01C-2C08-4A89-9BE1- CB0F1E529E6D@microso
ft.com... 
>
>
>