Guys,

all that you said is correct. I checked the recycle bin on the server. No db files there, in fact it's empty.

The database suppose to be setup on the disk where everything gets backed up automatically but following the written instructions (that had an error in the path!) he set it up on a different disk ( where nothing gets backed up). Database was in use for a while and then it was discovered that it doesn't get backed up.

The same evening it was discovered that programmer was told to move it to another drive asap. Yes, bosses told him/approved the procedure. The guy didn't do any manual backup before following the order, didn't tell the rest of us, never moved db in his live, and he is fearless!

I always have that fear in my guts that I'll do something wrong and I think it over and over and try it on the test db. He just goes ahead and does things and bosses tell him to do things and it's dangerous. Somehow he thought he needed to drop db before restoring it on a different disk. Maybe he mixed up drop and de-attach commands or maybe just didn't think but it's too late to know. We re-created the schema from other db but data was gone.

Yes, it should be a lesson but there is a pattern of being fearless for bosses and for him and this is no good. I hope we are safe and will keep our jobs LOL