this is a great reference that gets mentioned in a lot of posts here;
you can download the PDF for free.
http://www.simple-talk.com/books/sql-books/troubleshooting-sql-server-a-guide-for-the-accidental-dba/
another one that i like a lot is Brent Ozar's 60 minute Blitz!, where you are thrown at a SQL server and you wnat to get a handle on it in one hour:
http://www.brentozar.com/sql/blitz-minute-sql-server-takeovers/
Lowell
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