sql server msde: I'm getting the following error.
"Back up the transaction log for the database to free up some log space"
How can I fix it. I'm a newbie when it comes to MSDE, so I need detailed
instructions. Thanks.

hi,
[quoted text, click to view]

the message means that the database you are dealing with has been set to a
fixed size for your transaction log, and it is full ue to the normal
management of the DML/DDL activities recorded for the related database..
usually this is not a problem ith MSDE as it sets a database property
regarding the recovery model to "simple"
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/adminsql/ad_bkprst_4l83.asp),
where the inactive part of the transaction log will be marked for "re-use"
in later cycles... this will end up wtih a cyclic use of the log file..
the other recovery models do not mark the inactive part of the log for
reuse, and the log will always require to be expanded until you "truncate"
it
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/adminsql/ad_bkprst_565v.asp)..
this taks will be performed via the BACKUP LOG ... TRUNCATE_ONLY statement
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/tsqlref/ts_ba-bz_35ww.asp)..
BOL reports:
"...
Removes the inactive part of the log without making a backup copy of it and
truncates the log. This option frees space. Specifying a backup device is
unnecessary because the log backup is not saved. NO_LOG and TRUNCATE_ONLY
are synonyms.

After backing up the log using either NO_LOG or TRUNCATE_ONLY, the changes
recorded in the log are not recoverable. For recovery purposes, immediately
execute BACKUP DATABASE.
"

if your database has been set to simple recovery model, your problem means
that the log file size is to little to accomplish the transaction batch you
are dealing with, and you need to expand it, via the
ALTER DATABASE ..
MODIFY FILE ( Name = 'log file logical name', SIZE = new_size);
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/tsqlref/ts_aa-az_4e5h.asp
--
Andrea Montanari (Microsoft MVP - SQL Server)
http://www.asql.biz http://italy.mvps.org
DbaMgr2k ver 0.20.0 - DbaMgr ver 0.64.0 and further SQL Tools
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