Error message when you shrink the transaction log file of a database in SQL Server: "Cannot shrink log file ..." (814574)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (all editions)
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
  • Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup

SYMPTOMS

When you run a DBCC SHRINKFILE command in SQL Query Analyzer to shrink the specified transaction log file of a database, the transaction log file does not shrink, and you may receive the following error message:

Cannot shrink log file <transaction log file ID> (<transaction log file name>) because total number of virtual log files cannot be fewer than 2.

MORE INFORMATION

When a transaction log file has two virtual log files, you cannot shrink the transaction log file by using the DBCC SHRINKFILE command.

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

272318 Shrinking the transaction log in SQL Server 2000 with DBCC SHRINKFILE


324432 DBCC SHRINKFILE and SHRINKDATABASE commands may not work because of sparsely populated text, ntext, or image columns


80629 Transaction log partially truncated


317375 Transaction log grows unexpectedly or becomes full on SQL Server



For more information, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:
Shrinking the Transaction Log

DBCC SHRINKFILE

Attaching and Detaching a Database
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/30/2005
Keywords:kbSysAdmin kbprb KB814574 kbAudDeveloper
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