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hrExistingLogFileHasBadSignature
State represented by this code
hrExistingLogFileHasBadSignature means a log already present in the target log path belongs to a different log sequence or has an unreadable signature.
The stored value is 0x8800022E (positive JET status 558; 558). The HRESULT carries a warning, so the call may have useful output or a valid cursor state that must be inspected. Current ESE documentation uses JET_wrnExistingLogFileHasBadSignature for the corresponding published JET condition.
The first useful distinction is that the warning points to a pre-existing target-path file; hrGivenLogFileHasBadSignature concerns a supplied restore log. Start by preserving the filename, generation, header signature, base name, target path, and provenance of both the existing and restored log sets.
Data for a reproducible incident
- Code-specific observation: preserve the filename, generation, header signature, base name, target path, and provenance of both the existing and restored log sets.
Objects and state involved
| Diagnostic layer | the relationship between pre-existing target logs and the restore log lineage |
|---|---|
| Relevant API surface | hard recovery, restore target paths, log generation validation, and checkpoint processing |
| Code-specific condition | a log already present in the target log path belongs to a different log sequence or has an unreadable signature |
| Narrow corrective direction | quarantine the conflicting file set and rebuild the target path only from one verified backup and log lineage |
Every log generation carries sequence identity in addition to its filename. Warnings about existing target logs identify a collision that should be resolved before normal service resumes.
Actions that can make diagnosis worse
- Do not overwrite the conflicting files before preserving evidence.
- Do not mix logs from different backups because names appear contiguous.
Nearby ESE or AD backup states
It specifically means that the warning points to a pre-existing target-path file; hrGivenLogFileHasBadSignature concerns a supplied restore log. Related values below can appear in the same workflow but require a different response:
hrExistingLogFileIsNotContiguous | the log sequence already present in the target path contains a generation gap required by recovery |
|---|---|
hrBadDbSignature | the database signature does not match the backup or log set used for recovery |
hrColumnSetNull | a column update resulted in a NULL value as an explicit outcome |
Next actions
- Record it,
0x8800022E, the API name, the current phase, and all live context or file owners. - Verify the condition by preserving the filename, generation, header signature, base name, target path, and provenance of both the existing and restored log sets.
- Apply only the targeted fix: quarantine the conflicting file set and rebuild the target path only from one verified backup and log lineage.
Technical references
- JetExternalRestore phases and ranges — API ordering, file semantics, warning/error interpretation, or recovery behavior relevant to this HRESULT.
- ESE files and checkpoint behavior
- ESE error-code table
- Microsoft JET_ERR enumeration
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