How to Attach .MDF and .LDF Files in SQL Server

Ankur Mistry
Mar 14, 2016
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Many times as a programmer we have to work with database backup and restore processes Today we will learn how to attach your .MDF .LDF files and create a database .bak file in SQL Server.

I have EMP.mdf and EMP.ldf files on my Drive and now I want to attach these files and want to create my EMP database.

You can place them in the appropriate folder containing the other SQL databases on the server. In General setting this folder will be

c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA

but it depends on your SQL Server Setup time; data directory path may be in a different location.

For that follow the steps.

Step 1 : Open your Microsoft SQL Server and right click on Database and Click on Attach, as shown in below screen.

Step 2: It will open the below dialog, for adding a file click on 'Add' Button

Step 3:

Locate your .MDF file from your Drive, here in my case D:\Ankur\db backup\Data\EMP.mdf

select the file and click on Ok button.

Remember the Default Path is c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA

but I am going to place the .mdf file in a different path and try to attach the file.

Step 4: It will display Data file (EMP.mdf) and Log file (EMP.ldf) shown as per below screen.

Click on Ok.

Step 5:

That's it; it will Create a EMP database with data, you can check your MS SQL Object Explorer -> database and it will show the database attached, here it is EMP database.