Applies to
ApexSQL Log 2014
Summary
This article explains what to do when ApexSQL Log cannot connect to the database and reports that the database recovery model is unknown.
Symptoms
After selecting a database to connect to in the Database connection dialog, ApexSQL Log shows the “Unknown recovery model” message instead of “Full”, “Simple”, or “Pseudo full”.
When you click Next, the “Connection to the Database_Name database on the Server_Name server failed” message is shown.
All listed possible reasons are checked and none of them is the reason: the selected database is online and you can connect to it using the same credentials via SQL Server Management Studio or any other database management tool.
Cause
ApexSQL Log supports only databases on SQL Server 2005 and later. The database compatibility has to be 90 (for SQL Server 2005) and higher. When a database compatibility level is 80 or lower, ApexSQL Log cannot recognize the database recovery model, nor connect to it.
Resolution
Change the database compatibility level to at least 90. However, this can affect your applications and overall system, so you should not do that unless certain that it will not have any negative effect to your system.
Note that ApexSQL Log can read only the transactions made after the compatibility level is set to a supported value (90 and higher).
From 2016 version onwards, ApexSQL Log displays proper warning that database compatibility level 80 (SQL Server 2000) and lower are not supported
