Where DB backups are not available, our support team has been trained to restore using the following steps:
- Get a copy of the MDF/LDF from a file system backup.
- Stop the instance.
- Overwrite the existing MDF/LDF files.
- Restart the instance.
This is without a detach. The MDF and LDF files are simply overwritten and the instance restarted in the hope that the new files can be initialized correctly.
I'm currently trying to write a document describing the appropriate use of detach/attach in this scenario. While I know this is the correct approach, I can't find any resources which describe the risks of the other approach.
Can anyone provide any advice?