Validating a database (SQL)

Database file corruption may not be reported until the database server tries to access the affected part of the database. You can check that your database is valid by using the sa_validate stored procedure or the VALIDATE DATABASE statement in SQL.

Prerequisites

You must have the VALIDATE ANY OBJECT system privilege. It is best to validate when there is no other activity on the database.

Caution

Validating a table or an entire database should be performed while no connections are making changes to the database; otherwise, errors may be reported indicating some form of database corruption even though no corruption actually exists.

Context and remarks

If you are checking the validity of a backup copy, run the database in read-only mode so that it is not modified in any way. You can only do this if there were no transactions in progress during the backup.

Task

Connect to the database.

Option Action

sa_validate stored procedure

Run the sa_validate stored procedure:

CALL sa_validate;

The procedure returns a single column, named Messages. If all tables are valid, the column contains No errors detected.

VALIDATE DATABASE statement

Execute the VALIDATE DATABASE statement.

Results

The database is validated.