Question

From: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187495.aspx

Example:

–Restore the regular log backup (from backup set 2).

RESTORE LOG AdventureWorks2008R2
FROM DISK = 'Z:\SQLServerBackups\AdventureWorks2008R2FullRM.bak'
WITH FILE=2, 
NORECOVERY;

My question: If I don’t specify NORECOVERY, will it be the default? I have a bunch of databases that were migrated in this fashion and I’m not sure how to tell which recovery model was used.

Thanks

Answer 1

RECOVERY is the default. See the documentation for the RESTORE command, which states:

Comparison of RECOVERY and NORECOVERY

Roll back is controlled by the RESTORE statement through the [
RECOVERY | NORECOVERY ] options:

NORECOVERY specifies that roll back not occur. This allows roll
forward to continue with the next statement in the sequence.

In this case, the restore sequence can restore other backups and roll
them forward.

RECOVERY (the default) indicates that roll back should be performed
after roll forward is completed for the current backup.

Recovering the database requires that the entire set of data being
restored (the roll forward set) is consistent with the database. If
the roll forward set has not been rolled forward far enough to be
consistent with the database and RECOVERY is specified, the Database
Engine issues an error.