When the log is truncated, it is the VIRTUAL log that is truncated...not the physical log. To get the physical log smaller, you'll need to use dbcc shrinkfile to make it smaller.
Main Topics
Browse All TopicsHi,
I have an issue with multiple database on my sql server. For a while, some of them were set on FULL recovery type and some others on Simple.
We switched all of them to full and configured full and transaction logs backups. In any case, for many database, after a full and/or transaction log backup, even tho the logs get truncated, the .LDF will not shrink at all.
When I select to shrink file > logs, I can see 98% of free space. I start the job, no error, but no space freed.
I tried switching back to "simple", do a db backup, then a log backup, then a shrink, no good. Back to full recovery type, db backup, log backup, shrink, no good.
Any thought?
This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.
Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.
If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.
Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.
Access the answers to your technology questions today.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Try it out and discover for yourself.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.
thx for the help, I also found http://support.microsoft.c
why do I get:
Msg 8985, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
Could not locate file 'P:\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data\
when I execute:
DBCC SHRINKFILE ('P:\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data\
?
what is the output from the following?
SELECT TOP 1000 [file_id]
,[file_guid]
,[type]
,[type_desc]
,[data_space_id]
,[name]
,[physical_name]
,[state]
,[state_desc]
,[size]
,[max_size]
,[growth]
,[is_media_read_only]
,[is_read_only]
,[is_sparse]
,[is_percent_growth]
,[is_name_reserved]
,[create_lsn]
,[drop_lsn]
,[read_only_lsn]
,[read_write_lsn]
,[differential_base_lsn]
,[differential_base_guid]
,[differential_base_time]
,[redo_start_lsn]
,[redo_start_fork_guid]
,[redo_target_lsn]
,[redo_target_fork_guid]
,[backup_lsn]
FROM [master].[sys].[database_f
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: netcmhPosted on 2009-11-02 at 11:18:01ID: 25722640
1. Consider the recovery model for the database. If not "simple" then SQL Server will not empty the
Server/inf o_dont_shr ink.asp
log files automatically, and the log will keep growing. When not "simple", only backup of the
transaction log will empty the log files.
2. After either setting to simple or scheduling regular transaction log backups, verify that the log
files are more or less empty. Use:
DBCC SQLPERF(LOGSPACE)
3. Now time for the shrink. Use DBCC SHRINKFILE, (not SHRINKDATABASE), as documented in Books
Online.
Also, there are some links and general info about shrink on
http://www.karaszi.com/SQL