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LDF File

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Category: Web Wiz Web App Support Forums
Forum Name: Web Wiz Forums
Forum Description: Support forum for Web Wiz Forums application.
URL: https://forums.webwiz.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=24846
Printed Date: 06 April 2026 at 10:20am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.08 - https://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: LDF File

Posted By: Melkor
Subject: LDF File
Date Posted: 17 November 2007 at 6:11am

The .LDF log file associated with the SQL database for this forum platform...

What is it? Why is it so much larger than the .MDF file? Can I delete it safely?

Mine is currently sat at a whopping 31gb on my server and it hurts.

Replies:

Posted By: Jono
Date Posted: 17 November 2007 at 10:16am

The LDF file contains the tranaction logs. It is used if your recover the database from a backup.

The transactions should get comitted when you backup your SQL database (usually via a maintenance plan). The "recovery model" of the database also affects if you have a transaction log (a simple recovery model should create a very small LDF file).

Try right clicking the database in Enterprise manager and performing a backup, this may reduce the log file. If that doesn't work, post back and we can look at some other options.

Posted By: Jono
Date Posted: 17 November 2007 at 10:19am

This article may be of help: http://forums.databasejournal.com/archive/index.php/t-21974.html - http://forums.databasejournal.com/archive/index.php/t-21974.html

Have a look at the SQL books on-line before performing the commands, so you know what affect they will have. As always, take a backup BEFORE performing any of the actions - just in case!

And this may also help: http://www.thescripts.com/forum/thread144768.html - http://www.thescripts.com/forum/thread144768.html

Posted By: Melkor
Date Posted: 17 November 2007 at 8:27pm

Thank you for your helpful replies, Jono.

I ended up changing the recovery mode to simple from full (I make weekly back-ups by routine so having it on full was really unnecessary anyway) and then I reduced the file size from there.