The SQL Server database transaction log file doesn't grow by the configured file growth value

This article helps you resolve the problem where the SQL Server database transaction log file doesn't grow by the configured file growth value.

Original product version:   SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2
Original KB number:   2633151

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 kilobytes (KB). Additionally, you notice that there are lots of virtual log files in the transaction log file.

Resolution

• For SQL Server 2008 R2

  The fix for this issue was first released in KB2633145 (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, see The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 was released.

• For 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, see Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1.

  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, see The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 was released.

Workaround

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

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:

If you have large number of virtual log files in the transaction log, you will encounter long database recovery. For more information, see Database operations take a long time to complete, or they trigger errors when the transaction log has numerous virtual log files.