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hrLogBufferTooSmall
How to read this HRESULT
hrLogBufferTooSmall means the available recovery log buffer cannot hold the log record or sector data required for replay.
The stored value is 0xC8000205 (negative JET error -517; -517). Current ESE documentation uses JET_errLogBufferTooSmall for the corresponding published JET condition.
The first useful distinction is that increasing an application output buffer will not fix an engine recovery-buffer incompatibility. Start by capturing engine version, log format, sector and file size, configured log buffers, and the exact recovery phase.
Objects and state involved
| Diagnostic layer | transaction-log format, checksum, version, and sequence identity |
|---|---|
| Relevant API surface | JetInit soft recovery, hard recovery, log backup, and log replay |
| Code-specific condition | the available recovery log buffer cannot hold the log record or sector data required for replay |
| Narrow corrective direction | use a compatible engine/configuration and preserve the source logs before changing recovery parameters |
ESE uses write-ahead logs to reconstruct a transaction-consistent database after an unclean shutdown. A log filename is not enough; header signature, generation, version, and contents must agree.
What to collect first
- Code-specific observation: capture engine version, log format, sector and file size, configured log buffers, and the exact recovery phase.
Controlled remediation
- Record it,
0xC8000205, the API name, the current phase, and all live context or file owners. - Verify the condition by capturing engine version, log format, sector and file size, configured log buffers, and the exact recovery phase.
- Apply only the targeted fix: use a compatible engine/configuration and preserve the source logs before changing recovery parameters.
Acceptance criteria for a fix
A useful regression test should force the condition “the available recovery log buffer cannot hold the log record or sector data required for replay”, call one documented API transition, and assert the exact HRESULT.
Related codes
It specifically means that increasing an application output buffer will not fix an engine recovery-buffer incompatibility. Related values below can appear in the same workflow but require a different response:
hrLogFileCorrupt | ESE detected structural or checksum corruption while reading a transaction log |
|---|---|
hrBadLogVersion | the transaction log format is incompatible with the ESE version attempting to read it |
hrCircularLogging | the Directory Service component is using circular logs, so the historical range needed for an incremental backup is not guaranteed to remain |
Actions that can make diagnosis worse
- Do not run destructive repair before preserving the original set.
- Do not edit or rename logs to force acceptance.
Technical references
- ESE files and recovery — API ordering, file semantics, warning/error interpretation, or recovery behavior relevant to this HRESULT.
- JetInit recovery behavior
- ESE error-code table
- Microsoft JET_ERR enumeration
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