Article ID: 2633151 - Last Review: January 9, 2012 - Revision: 2.0

The SQL Server database transaction log file does not grow by the configured file growth value

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SYMPTOMS

The file growth value that is configured for the SQL Server database transaction log file is 4 gigabytes (GB) or multiples thereof (for example, 8 GB, 12 GB, and so on). However, the transaction log file does not grow by that value. Instead, the transaction log file grows by increments of only 250 KB kilobytes (KB). Additionally, you notice that there are lots of virtual log files in the transaction log file.

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RESOLUTION

Cumulative update information

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 11. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

2633145 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2633145/ ) Cumulative update package 11 for SQL Server 2008 R2

Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

981356 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/981356/ ) The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 was released

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 4. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2008 R2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

2633146 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2633146/ ) Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1

981356 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/981356/ ) The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 was released

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WORKAROUND

Change the file growth value for the SQL Server database transaction log file so that it is not exactly divisible by 4 GB.

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MORE INFORMATION

You can use the following query to identify the SQL Server database transaction log file:

SELECT name FROM sys.master_files  name 
FROM sys.master_files WHERE database_id = DB_ID('<db name>')
AND type = 1 
AND is_percent_growth = 0 
AND growth % 524288 = 0

For more information about the products or tools that automatically check for file growth vales of 4 GB or multiples thereof on your instance of SQL Server and on the versions of the SQL Server product, see the following table:

Collapse this tableExpand this table

Rule software	Rule title	Rule description	Product versions against which the rule is evaluated
System Center Advisor	SQL Server database file might not grow using the configured growth value	System Center Advisor determines whether the SQL Server database transaction log file is configured for a growth value of 4GB or multiples thereof and generates a warning if this is the case. Review the information that is provided in the "Information Collected" section of the warning, and make the necessary changes to the transaction log that is affected.	SQL Server 2008 SQL Server 2008 R2

If you have large number of virtual log files in the transaction log, you will encounter long database recovery. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

2028436 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2028436/ ) Certain database operations take a very long duration to complete or encounter errors when the transaction log has numerous virtual log files

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