Question

Can i delete the file ITAssist_Log.LDF file to free up space on a full partition

Asked by: cdubbcisco

I have a dell server
model is a PowerEdge 1800
It is running Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SP 2
When i go into computer management and then disk managementit appears that i have 2 drives
Disk 0 has 2 partitions:C: and D:
C: IS ONLY 20GB AND only has about 125MB of free space while D: is 130GB AND has 97GB of free space
Is it possible to extend C partition into D considering D has all that room?
That would take care of my headache right there.
And if so how would i do that?

and Disk 1 has 1 partition :Drive E

Finally i noticed that this file ITAssist_Log.LDF is over 1GB
Can this be deleted?
it sits under the folder structure:       C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data

I don't believe SQL is even used on the server
All this server is currently being used for is a File Server and it is also running MS Sharepoint
for are Intranet Web Page
I noticed that the SQLServer Service in the bottom right task bar is stopped and there are no user issues so i assume if it is not running that it is probably not needed?

thanks

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Asked On
2009-06-09 at 08:06:56ID24475951
Topics

Windows 2003 Server

,

Hard Drives & Storage

,

dBase

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Answers

 

by: xxdcmastPosted on 2009-06-09 at 08:19:01ID: 24582043

That ITassist file is most likely related to the dell openmanage server administrator if it is installed on the machine. If you want to free up the space and dont care about losing the openmanage ability you could uninstall the program and free up the space.

 

by: cdubbciscoPosted on 2009-06-09 at 08:37:22ID: 24582225

I already uninstalled the Dell openmanage Server administrator, i do not see it under Add Remove Programs in the Control Panel
that is where it would be located correct?

 

by: cdubbciscoPosted on 2009-06-09 at 12:39:56ID: 24584886

any other thoughts on this file?
ITAssist_Log.LDF
it sits in this folder       C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data

 

by: xxdcmastPosted on 2009-06-09 at 14:22:48ID: 24585957

I would say that it could probably be safely deleted. But just to cover my butt I would copy it off to a thumb drive or external hard drive just in cast. I am about 99% sure that is releated to openmanage and should be ok to delete.

Also if your short on space you could look at moviing or deleting your service pack and patch uninstall folders. These can usually be found in windows\system32.

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-06-09 at 15:57:51ID: 24586633

ITAssist_Log.LDF is a transaction log file for ITAssist.MDF database. If such database does not exist you may delete the log file. If the database exists you should do this action from SQL Server Management Studio. You may shrink the log file by DBCC SHRINKFILE statement. If you are sure the SQL Server will never be used on this machine you can backup and delete .LDF and .MDF files.

To change the disk partition size you have to use special software like Symantec's Partition Magic. It could do the action without data loss but preliminary backup is highly recommended.

 

by: joseramiPosted on 2009-06-10 at 04:14:55ID: 24589966

If the database is in use, you will receive a file sharing error, if not it will allow you to delete the file without any problems; I would suggest you find the mdf too and remove that one as well since you might have SQL Express installed on the server... check under services to see if there is a SQL Server service running and under start \ programs; if the version is SQL 2005 you should have a programs group for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and check Configuration Tools \ SQL Configuration Manager... that should give you good information and the name(s) of the instance(s) installed on your computer.  As mentioned earlier, If none are running, you should be able to delete the file without incident... but if there are any instances running, I'd suggest connecting to it(them) and check (just to be safe).  

Backup the file(s)!.

Regards

 

by: cdubbciscoPosted on 2009-06-11 at 06:45:34ID: 24602170

joserami,
what do you mean by this last statement:
but if there are any instances running, I'd suggest connecting to it(them) and check (just to be safe).  
Also
i am running sharepoint services on the server,
I thought i read that sharepoint uses this
sqlservr.exe and sqlmangr.exe seems to be running on the server
I do not see sql server under start\programs
however i do see in my TASKBAR Microsoft SQL Server Service Manager version 8.00.2039 but it is STOPPED

One other note is the only thing related to sql in add/remove programs in the CONTROL PANEL
is Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine   version 8.00.2039

i DO know that Dell's OpenManage or Server Administer was installed on the machine at one point but i believe that it has been uninstalled from it

 

by: cdubbciscoPosted on 2009-06-11 at 11:20:45ID: 24605195

any other thought related to my last statement on this?
thanks

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-06-11 at 11:51:37ID: 24605523

So, it seems SQL Server is running on the computer if there is sqlservr.EXE Service started. It is most probably a part of Sharepoint services.  What do you mean by "sqlservr.exe and sqlmangr.exe seems to be running on the server" ? How did you recognize it is running?

If you dont have SQL Server Management studio installed on this computer you should be able to connect SQL Server from another computer which is having Management Studio installed on the network.

But it could be easier to do it following way:

Did you look for ITAssist.MDF file? What other files are in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data folder?

Obvious contents of this folder is:
master.mdf and masterlog.ldf
model.mdf and modellog.ldf
msdbdata.mdf and msdblog.ldf
tempdb.mdf and templog.ldf

If there is no ITAssist.MDF file present then ITAssist_log.LDF is some obsolete transaction log and it should be safe to delete it (after backup, of course). And it should be safe even without Management Studio.

The Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine version 8.00.2039 is MSDE for SQL Server 2000.

 

by: joseramiPosted on 2009-06-11 at 12:17:06ID: 24605781

cdubbcisco,

it looks like when SharePoint was installed a single server installation was used; this means SQL Server is running locally on your machine... now what baffles me is the version and the fact that it is stopped...

Ok, so lets be sure... (which WSS version are you running? (I am almost certain it will be WSS 2, but please clarify to make sure.)

 Go to: Programs\Administrative Tools\SharePoint Central Administration
when the pages opens, scroll down to: Server Configuration, then click on "set configuration database server" and take note of the database server... click "cancel"

again scroll down to: Server Configuration, then click on "set default content database server" and take note of the server name... click "cancel"

is the name of any of these 2 servers the same as the one you are on? if so then your MS SharePoint is dependent on this machine... otherwise no.  (I believe not in this case since the SQL service is stopped, but again, this should help clarify)

Also, since your SQL Server is desktop edition version 8.00.... you will need to access via an external Enterprise Manager or through Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (if you are running SQL 2005 tools on your machine).  

Let me know the results up to this point and we can go from there...

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-06-12 at 08:48:38ID: 24613409

So, what's new?

Did you look for ITAssist.MDF file? What other files are in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data folder?

 

by: cdubbciscoPosted on 2009-06-15 at 06:21:30ID: 24628502

all files that you listed are in there pcelba and also modellog$4IDR and model$4IDR
also mastlog$4IDR AND master$4IDR

as well as the ITAssit_Log.LDF: size is 1,017,728 KB and the last time it was modified was 2/3/2009
and the ITAssist_Data.MDF file and it was also modified on 2/3/2009

 

by: cdubbciscoPosted on 2009-06-15 at 06:38:11ID: 24628632

The SQL Server Service Manager is Stopped but sqlserver.exe is running in task manager

Sharepoint Services 3.0 is running on this machine and it is version 12.0.6219.1000

and it certainly appears that the name of the sharepoint server matches the name of the server it is on

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-06-15 at 06:49:07ID: 24628737

So, it means the whole ITAssist database is there and it has the big log file.

You have several options:
1) The easiest one. Backup and delete both ITAssit_Log.LDF and ITAssist_Data.MDF
2) The more complicated one. Execute the SQL Server Management Studio, connect to the MSDE engine and detach the ITAssist database and continue with backup and deletion. The connection should be possible from remote computer but MSDE has the remote access disabled obviously and requires Registry setting change to allow it.
3) The most clever one. If you cannot delete ITAssist database then you should be able to truncate it. See SQL Server help for DBCC SHRINKFILE command. Again, it needs some client software to connect the SQL engine.

Databases having $4IDR in their names are system data from another (named) instance of SQL engine.

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-06-15 at 07:08:38ID: 24628951

The IDR databases were probably created by Symantec's Backup Exec for Intelligent Disaster Recovery purposes.

The ITAssist database was most probably created by above mentioned Dell software (more details are here http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/power/en/ps2q02_foreman?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz).

Sharepoint has its own database but I don't know more details.

I would recommend the solution No. 2).

 

by: pcelbaPosted on 2009-06-15 at 07:10:48ID: 24628976

This would be useful for Sharepoint database info:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/843580

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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