Database and data file rescue
A file that will not open is scary. Most of the time the data is still in there. Start with a free sample check, and I will tell you what I think can come back.
How it works
- Send a sample. Tell me what broke and what the error says.
- Get a quote. I check the sample, then you get a quote. No quote, no work.
- Get your data back. I work on a copy and send you the recovered data.
Privacy promise. Files are handled privately and never shared. All client data is automatically deleted and securely wiped 30 days after delivery.
Got one of these exact errors?
These five come up the most. Each has its own page with the likely cause and what to do first.
What I work on
I stick to the mainstream databases and data files that small offices really use. Find yours below.
Microsoft Access
Access files in the .mdb and .accdb formats. I recover tables first, since that is where your data lives, then queries, forms and reports where I can.
Messages people see:
- Unrecognized database format
- The database cannot be opened because the VBA project contained in it cannot be read
A damaged VBA project can lock you out of a file that has perfectly good tables inside. I can usually get the tables out even when the forms will not load.
dBase
dBase tables in .dbf files, along with their index and memo files. Older office systems often run on these, and one bad shutdown can leave a table with garbled rows, missing records or an index that no longer matches.
I rebuild the table, line up the indexes and hand you the records in a format you can use today, such as Excel or a modern database.
MySQL
MySQL tables that crashed after a power loss, a full disk or a bad shutdown. This covers MyISAM and InnoDB.
Messages people see:
- Table is marked as crashed and should be repaired
- InnoDB: Database page corruption on disk or a failed file read
Before you run REPAIR TABLE, copy the data directory. A repair can drop rows it cannot read. Let me look at a copy first.
SQL Server
SQL Server databases that report corruption, will not attach or will not come online.
Messages people see:
- SQL Server detected a logical consistency-based I/O error
- Database is in suspect mode
Please do not run a repair with data loss allowed before you have a copy of the data and log files. I work from your backup or a copy of the MDF and LDF files and pull out what is readable.
MongoDB
MongoDB servers that will not start after a hard shutdown, a disk problem or an upgrade gone wrong.
Messages people see:
- WT_PANIC: WiredTiger library panic
- WT_TRY_SALVAGE: database corruption detected
- WiredTiger error
I work from a copy of the data directory and recover the collections I can read.
Excel based data
Workbooks in .xlsx, .xlsm and .xls, plus CSV files that got mangled. Spreadsheets that run a whole business are more common than anyone admits.
Messages people see:
- We found some problems with some content
- Excel cannot open the file because the file format or file extension is not valid
I pull out the sheets, values and formulas I can, and rebuild the workbook so it opens clean.
QuickBooks file repair
Damaged QuickBooks company files, the kind that stop you from opening your books.
Messages people see:
- QuickBooks error 6000 series, such as 6000 -82 or 6000 -305
- QuickBooks error -6150, -1006
- QuickBooks error 6123
I repair the file so you can get back in. Lone Star PC Repair is not affiliated with Intuit. QuickBooks is a trademark of Intuit Inc. I fix damaged files and do not sell or support the QuickBooks program.
One honest limit. I work on file and database damage. If a hard drive clicks or will not spin, it needs a lab, and I will tell you that up front.
Questions people ask
Is the sample check really free?
Yes. You tell me what broke and send a small sample. I tell you what I see and what I think can be saved. If you want the full job, I send a quote first. Nothing starts without your yes.
How does the quote work?
After the sample check, I give you a quote for the whole job. You know the cost before any work begins. I do not post prices online because every damaged file is different.
Will you change my original file?
No. I work on a copy. Your original stays exactly as you sent it.
What happens to my files afterward?
Files are handled privately and never shared. All client data is automatically deleted and securely wiped 30 days after delivery.
Can every damaged file be saved?
No, and I will not pretend otherwise. Some damage is too deep. The sample check is there so you hear that early, before you spend anything.
What should I do right now with a broken database?
Stop using it and make a copy of every file before you try any repair tool. Built in repair options can throw away the rows they cannot fix. SQL Server's REPAIR_ALLOW_DATA_LOSS option is named that for a reason.
Do you work on QuickBooks files?
Yes, I repair damaged QuickBooks company files, including the ones throwing error 6000 series messages. I do not sell or support the QuickBooks program itself. Lone Star PC Repair is not affiliated with Intuit.
Send a sample, get a straight answer.
The sample check is free. Tell me what the error says and I will take it from there.