Stellar Repair for MS SQL is an advanced SQL database repair tool designed to resolve SQL Server database corruption issues, restore deleted records, and recover database components while maintaining data integrity. After thoroughly testing the software in various scenarios, we present a complete product review covering installation, performance, features, and usability.
Table of contents
Installation and Setup
The installation process for Stellar Repair for MS SQL was seamless. The software is lightweight, taking up less than 250 MB of storage, and installation on our Windows Server 2019 Datacenter Edition was quick. Once launched, the interface greeted us with a clean and intuitive design that required no steep learning curve. The Browse and Find options made locating corrupted database files effortless, even in environments with numerous files.
Testing Environment and Setup
Hardware Configuration:
- Processor: Intel Xeon Silver 4214 (12 Cores, 24 Threads) at 2.20 GHz.
- RAM: 64 GB DDR4.
- Storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD for fast I/O operations.
- OS: Windows Server 2019 (64-bit).
SQL Server Version:
- We used SQL Server 2019 with the latest updates installed.
Database File:
- File size: 200 GB.
- Corruption levels: Simulated consistency errors, header corruption, index corruption, and deleted records.
Before starting repairs, we ran DBCC CHECKDB to verify and confirm the extent of corruption:
- Error 5172: MDF file header corruption.
- Error 823/824: Logical consistency errors in database pages.
- Error 8909: Index corruption.
The database was placed in Recovery Pending and Suspect States during testing to simulate real-world issues.
Key Features Tested for Product Review
1. Repair of Corrupt MDF and NDF Files
The software successfully repaired corruption in both primary (MDF) and secondary (NDF) database files. Stellar Repair restored tables, indexes, triggers, and foreign key relationships to their original state.
2. Recovery of Deleted Records
Using the “Include Deleted Records” option, the tool recovered deleted records without modifying the table schema. The recovered records were saved as a new table, making it easy to validate data integrity.
3. Preview Before Saving
The preview feature allowed us to verify the repairable database components, including table structures and data, before saving the repaired database. This ensured the recovered data matched the original pre-corruption state.
4. Multiple Save Options
The software provided several save options:
- New Database: Created a new SQL Server database to save repaired files.
- Live Database: Restored data directly to the live SQL Server instance.
- Other Formats: Supported exporting data to CSV, HTML, and XLS for further analysis or migration.
5. Fast and Standard Saving Modes
- Fast Saving Mode: Prioritized saving data before processing indexes, significantly reducing downtime for large databases.
- Standard Saving Mode: Simultaneously processed data and indexes for a more comprehensive restoration.
6. .BAK File Repair
In a separate test, we corrupted a .bak backup file and successfully restored the database using the tool. This capability is invaluable for scenarios where backups themselves are compromised.
7. Advanced Scanning
The tool offers two scanning modes:
- Standard Scan: Ideal for minor corruption and faster recovery.
- Advanced Scan: Designed for more severe corruption, thoroughly scanning all database components.
8. Cross-Platform Compatibility
The software supports both Windows and Linux environments, making it suitable for diverse IT infrastructures.
Performance
Thanks to its Parallel Processing feature, Stellar Repair utilized all available cores of our server’s CPU, speeding up repair times significantly. Repairing a 200 GB database took under 3 hours, even in Advanced Scan mode, which is impressive for such a large file size. The resource usage was notable, with peak RAM usage hitting approximately 20 GB, which is reasonable given the workload.
Results of Product Review
After using Stellar Repair for MS SQL, we verified the database using DBCC CHECKDB, which showed no remaining errors. The repaired database was fully functional, with all data, indexes, and relationships restored.
Key Strengths
- Comprehensive Repair Capabilities:
- Repairs MDF, NDF, and even .bak files.
- Recovers all database objects, including tables, triggers, and indexes.
- Deleted Records Recovery:
- The ability to recover deleted records and save them separately is a unique feature that proved invaluable.
- Ease of Use:
- The intuitive interface allows even less-experienced users to navigate and repair corrupted databases effectively.
- Multi-Platform Support:
- Compatibility with both Windows and Linux SQL Servers enhances its usability across different environments.
- Secure and Reliable:
- The tool supports both SQL Server Authentication and Windows Authentication, ensuring secure handling of database credentials.
- Preview Feature:
- Allows users to verify the integrity of repairable components before committing to restoration.
How to video of Stellar Repair or MSSQL
Real-World Use Cases
- Recovery Pending State:
- We simulated a Recovery Pending state caused by abrupt shutdowns. The software restored the database quickly and effectively.
- Corrupted Indexes:
- Non-clustered and clustered index corruption was resolved without losing data relationships.
- Large-Scale Recovery:
- The tool demonstrated impressive performance while repairing a 200 GB database, proving its scalability for enterprise use.
- Deleted Records:
- Ideal for recovering accidentally deleted records during audits or forensic investigations.
Suggestions for Improvement
- Resource Utilization:
- The tool is resource-intensive during Advanced Scans, requiring at least 32 GB RAM for optimal performance on large databases.
- Additional Reporting:
- While the log report is useful, more detailed insights into the repair process (e.g., time taken per component) would be helpful for large-scale operations.
Final Verdict
Stellar Repair for MS SQL is an outstanding tool for database administrators and IT professionals handling corrupted SQL databases, according to our product review. Whether you’re dealing with MDF or NDF file corruption, deleted records, or damaged backups, the tool delivers reliable results with minimal downtime. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive feature set make it a must-have for organizations relying on SQL Server databases.