Content database is Read-Only - Event 4971 (SharePoint 2010 Products)

 

Applies to: SharePoint Server 2010

Alert Name:   Content database is Read-Only

Event ID:   4971

Summary:   Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 stores most of the content of the Web application — including site collections, sites, lists, documents, and permissions — in content databases. A single Web application can be associated with one or many content databases.

Symptoms:   One or more of the following symptoms might appear:

  • Users cannot add or update content in SharePoint Server 2010 sites.

  • The following event appears in the event log: Event ID: 4971 Description: Cannot update database on SQL Server instance '<instance name>'. Database is read/only. Additional error information from SQL Server is included below. <additional information>

Cause:   SQL Server provides the option of setting a database to read-only mode, in which data can be read from the database but data cannot be added, changed, or removed. If a content database is in read-only mode, you might observe the symptoms described.

Resolution:   Set the database to read/write

  • If you verify that the content database is in read-only mode, set the SQL Server Management Studio database to read/write.

    To verify that the database is read-only:

    1. Verify that the user account that is performing this procedure is a member of the Farm Administrators group.

    2. On the Central Administration Home page, click Application Management.

    3. On the Application Management page, in the Databases section, click Manage content databases.

    4. On the Manage Content Databases page, select the Web application from the Web Application list.

    5. If Yes appears in the Database Read-Only column for the content database, set the content database to read/write.

    To set the content database to read/write:

    1. Verify that the user account that is performing this procedure is a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the content database.

    2. Open SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the database server.

    3. In Object Explorer, expand Databases.

    4. Right-click the database that you want to set to read/write, and then click Properties.

    5. In the Database Properties dialog box, on the Options properties page, under State, select False from the drop-down list next to Database Read-Only, and then click OK.

    6. Click Yes.