SQL 2005 Server Logs

  • I'm still trying to get up to speed with SQL 2005. I have SQL Server 2005 Express installed. I noticed that my server logs seem to be empty (at least viewing through the Management Studio). Why don't I see any logged server activity?

    _________________________________
    seth delconte
    http://sqlkeys.com

  • Maybe I'm confused, but you can't browse the transaction logs. The error logs, which you can browse, aren't going to show much from "activity" but rather from logged events, errors and alerts. Most databases that get created initially with SQL Server are in what is called simple recovery. This means that the transaction logs are truncated on checkpoint which clears out all committed transactions. If the activity is low enough, you'll never see any transaction log growth although using SQL Profiler you can observe what's occurring within the log.

    Which "log" you're referring to will help direct you in the right direction.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • I was referring to the error logs. I think the problem is I'm running SQL Server 2005 Express, and it doesn't seem to allow you to see any activity (not even startup activity) recorded in the error logs.

    _________________________________
    seth delconte
    http://sqlkeys.com

  • Try right clicking on the individual error log and then selecting View Error Logs from the pop-up menu.

  • Thanks, but that still doesn't work in SQL Express. Guess I'll just install the real thing. 🙂

    _________________________________
    seth delconte
    http://sqlkeys.com

  • The error logs are just text files. You should be able to simply open them in a text editor, completely seperate from SSMS.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

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