File Geodatabase Recovery

[SpencerLarson]

I recently copied and pasted a file geodatabase using windows explorer from one location to another location.  After doing so I deleted the original file.  When I try to open or access the geodatabase in the new location it shows just a folder in ArcCatalog or ArcMap.  Using windows explorers I can see that the files that make up the geodatabase are there, it just seems based upon my previous readings of other forums that maybe not all the files got pasted and were possibly in use even though I wasn't running sessions of ArcMap or ArcCatalog.  I would really like to get this data back, I tried adding the gdb file that was missing but I get the error failed to connect to geodatabase or that its the wrong version even though both geodatabases were creating  in ArcGIS 10.  Any suggestions....?

[Robert_LeClair]

Spencer - try the Recover File Geodatabase Geoprocessing tool.  What is the result?

Regards,

Robert LeClair
Esri-Denver

[SpencerLarson]

Rob- I tried the Recover File Geodatabase tool but I get the error message.  Failed to connect to database.  This release of the GeoDatabase is either invalid or out of date.  [Invailid Geodatabase release].  When looking in windows explorer I noticed the gdb file was missing so I created a new geodatabase (same version) as the one which isn't working but I got that message as well.  By adding the GDB file with the other files that make up the geodatabse the geodatabase cynlinder icon shows but its not collapsable and I get the aforementioned error message.

Is there any way to take the existing files and obtain the missing files if any?  Any other suggestions?


-Spencer

[LanceShipman]

Is this a pre-10.0 file geodatabase? The recovery tool only works on 10.x file geodatabases. Normally for ArcGIS to open the file geodatabase the directory must include the .gdb extension and the signature file (gdb) must exist. If these files exist the file geodatabase may still not open if the enough files are missing. The recovery tool creates a new file geodatabase and reads the headers of the files in the damaged directory. The headers include information on the contents of the file including the fields and geometry. The table can be recovered even if the system catalog and the GDB_Items table are missing but the feature class/table names will be assigned new values.

The error you are reporting implies that you have a pre-10.0 file geodatabase.

[SpencerLarson]

Lance/Ron- The FGDB was a 10.0 version thats why that error about it being invalid or out of date is perplexing.  I created a new file geodatabse in Arc 10 and then pasted the (gdb) signature file as it was missing this file, but this didn't work either.  I have been trying to figure out what files are missing but when I try to google file geodatabase file components, I don't get anything that tells me the file components.  Am I completly out of luck or is there still a chance the file is recoverable? 


-Spencer

[LanceShipman]

When you say copying in the signature file didn't work, what do you mean? Did ArcGIS see it as a file geodatabase? Did you try the Recovery tool on it?

[SpencerLarson]

When I refered to the signature file I am referring to the (gdb) that every file geodatabase needs for the ArcGIS to read the file as a geodatabase.  When I copied and pasted another (gdb) from a another existing geodatabase.  ArcCatalog shows the geodatabase symbol, (gray cylinder) but when trying to open it further I get the message "This release of the GeoDatabase is either invalid or out of date. [Invailid Geodatabase release]."  I got the same message running the recovery tool, even though as I mentioned the geodatabase was a either a geodatabase created in 10.0 or it was upgraded from a 9.3 release to 10.0 suing the database properties before this happened.

[LanceShipman]

The Recover tool will even work on File Geodatabases missing the gdb file. Outside of pre-10.x file geodatabases I've never seen the error you are reporting.

[SpencerLarson]

Lance- So I guess I am out of luck.  Any other solutions other then using the last backed up copy I have available?  If I contact ESRI technical support will they possibly be able to do anything additional that you haven't already suggested.

-Spencer

[LanceShipman]

It's unlikely that Technical Support will be able to find a solution that recovers your data. They could put in a bug that may result in an improved recovery tool. I'd have to look at your data to know it we can do anything for the future.