SQL Log File Growing Rapidly – Fix Large Transaction Logs

SQL Server transaction log files are equally important like the primary & secondary database files. Log or LDF files stores the log data record for every transaction performed. Users should pay attention when SQL log file growing rapidly error occurs. They must prevent all kinds of disasters & be prepared for upcoming threats.

“Hey there folks, please help me get a genuine solution for SQL transaction log growing fast issues. My database log file has grown up to 480GB. Is it safe or should I be worried about it? What should I do to fix such issues? It’ll be a huge help for me.”
– Elke Klein, Berlin – Germany

“My log file growing rapidly in SQL Server from the last week. My subordinate made some changes in the database settings last week & then it started growing my log files too fast. What could be the reason for this & how can I get rid of this problem?”
– Emily Jones, California – United States

Plenty of other user queries are shown below in the form of images:

Now, that we are aware of the problem & user queries, it’s time to proceed toward the causes & solutions.

Reasons Why SQL Log File Grows Too Fast

There can be several reasons why this happens in users’ databases. Let’s understand the most common causes for the same that users need to know.

• Corruption in Log Files: Corrupt Log files often use more space & cause the log file to grow fast. Therefore, users must learn how to repair LDF files without any hassles.
• Full Recovery Mode: The LDF file grows rapidly due to full recovery mode. Here, a database is set to be restored to a specific point along with the log data till that point.
• Untruncated Log File: When users are not able to use the inactive part of a transaction log, the database log tends to become large very fast.
• Large DB Transaction: Users often make large transactions like data recovery, migration, etc. It results in having large-sized log files in the database.
• Index Rebuild and Reorganize: Rebuilding or reorganizing the indexes of the SQL Server also makes the log files large in size creating further trouble.
• Poor Synchronisation: Poor synchronization of availability groups, incomplete transactions & misconfigured settings cause large transaction log files.
• Infrequent Log Backup: Delays in creating transaction log backups, makes the exiting LDF file quite large. Therefore, users face this kind of LDF growing error.

Apart from this, there could be several errors like log file corruption, which makes it large. These reasons might differ from user to user & situation to situation. However, the most common ones are these only.

Troubleshooting SQL Log File Growing Rapidly Issue

In order to solve SQL transaction log file keeps growing fast scenario, users must know the troubleshooting ways.  Here, as we do not have any fixed reason, we can not address any fixed solution also. There are several ways to counter this error collaboratively. Therefore, we have listed all 6 key steps below

#1 Backup Transaction Log File

Whenever a user opts for a full or bulk-logged database recovery option, they must back up the entire database including the log files. This helps users to stop filling the database log files. This is the first step for users to fix SQL Server log file keeps growing issue. Moreover, it executes the log truncation so that unused inactive space can be used for the fresh data.

#2 Shrink Log File Size Option

Just like truncating files, when users want to use the unused space purposely, they can shrink the log file. This process to shrink the log files results in creating more space in the existing log files to solve SQL Log file growing rapidly issue. Although, shrinking log files is quite a sensitive task. Hence, users must not take it for granted at any cost.

#3 Use Auto Growth Wisely

The auto-growth feature allows log files to grow their size limit when they reach the existing limit. Keeping in mind that this feature can easily help users change the size of a log file, mismanaged use of this feature can result in very large-sized log files.

Users can change this setting through the following steps to resolve SQL log file keep growing problem.

1. Launch SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio)
2. Now, just Go to the Database and Right-Click on it.
3. Simply Click on the Properties option to change settings.
4. At last, Configure the Auto-Growth settings for log data files.

Users can have a look at this image to see the settings:

#4 Increase Log Size Option: 

Sometimes users purposely or accidentally increase the log file size. They can reduce it as well. Therefore, when users increase the log size, it is obvious to grow larger. Then users need to back up the entire file & try to shrink the LDF. Also, users must try to reduce the size as much as possible.

#5 Monitor Transaction Log Files 

Continuous monitoring of the SQL log files is quite necessary. Therefore, if SQL log file growing rapidly, users can track the vitals like speed, reasons, & timestamps. Moving ahead, Monitoring the log files can help users analyze a lot of factors like database health, upcoming threats, any doubtful SQL transaction, etc.

Using the sys.dm_db_log_space_usage command is helpful to monitor the disk space usage for an SQL database log file.

#6 Free Space in Disk for Log

There are many scenarios observed where the SQL database log file fills up & there is no space left in the hosting disk to accommodate more data. This is indeed a big trouble because of the SQL transaction log growing fast issue. Thus, the user should clean up space in the existing disk for the fresh data or shift the log file to any other disk.

Fix SQL Log File Keep Growing Error Automatically

Now, users know that they must take frequent backups, monitor log files frequently, & execute several other tasks. However, they have to use several solutions for each one of these tasks. However, the SQL Server Log Analyzer is somehow equivalent.

This advanced utility allows users to fix SQL log file growing rapidly issue by analyzing the files deeply. It can restore deleted or lost data files, repair damaged data & monitor log data closely. Moreover, users can even open LDF files without SQL Server using this tool. Download the tool & follow the steps mentioned below:

Step-1. Launch the Software & Hit the Open button to Add Log files.

Step-2(A). Select the Online Mode to fetch log files from the database.

Step-2(B). Opt Offline Mode & Add LDF Files from the local system.

Step-3. Now, Preview All Records & from the software panel.

Step-4. Set the Destination Platform to export scanned files if needed.

Also Read: How to Rebuild Transaction Log in SQL Server Database?

Wrapping It Up

Now, that we are aware of the solution to fix the error of SQL log file growing rapidly, let’s conclude this article. If users follow the above troubleshooting tips carefully, they can easily get to see the desired results with ease. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the automated solution is a one-shot solution for such errors.