Bikes, Beers, and Bytes

Sometimes your computer is your worst enemy! In one of the few instances where I had to actually use a windows server and database illustrated this point. ?The file ?C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.2\MSSQL\DATA\mastlog.ldf? is compressed but does not reside in a read-only database or file group. The file must be decompressed.? This was followed by a big WTF.

So this production box now had a failed service. What caused this? Well after selecting the compressed file and hitting properties->advance I discovered the “compress content to save space” option was set. I deselected the option and applied. I went through and did the same to each database file then restarted the M$ sql database. WIN! The db was up.

This must have been an occasion where windows offered to be helpful and clean up to create free space. In the end windows shot itself in the foot. Never mind the fact admins should not blankly accept help from windows.

The lesson here is to not let M$ decide what to compress for you. Well and use a unix server and Mysql if possible.