database recovery

Hi,
I'm no where close to a SQL Server expert but we're using it as a back end
to another application.

I lost a PC that had MS SQL Server 2000. I was able to recover the .MDF and
..LDF files but nothing else. How can I restore these files to another SQL
Server installation on another PC. When I tried to attach them they are not
recognized as valid files (I get the red X instead of the green CHECK).

Is this a basic security function that I'm not going to get around or should
it be possible? Do the .mdf and .ldf files contain specific info about what
PC they were created on?

Are there third party apps that might be able to at least extract the
tables?

Thanks,
WHHi

Try attaching them using from Query Analyser using the sp_attach_db stored
procedure (see Books online)
EXEC sp_attach_db @.dbname = N'pubs',
@.filename1 = N'c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL\Data\pubs.mdf',
@.filename2 = N'c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL\Data\pubs_log.ldf'If that fails you may have to resort to your
database backups.John"WH" <user@.server.com> wrote in message
news:IJsvd.16071$NO5.1938@.twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
> Hi,
> I'm no where close to a SQL Server expert but we're using it as a back end
> to another application.
> I lost a PC that had MS SQL Server 2000. I was able to recover the .MDF
> and
> .LDF files but nothing else. How can I restore these files to another SQL
> Server installation on another PC. When I tried to attach them they are
> not
> recognized as valid files (I get the red X instead of the green CHECK).
> Is this a basic security function that I'm not going to get around or
> should
> it be possible? Do the .mdf and .ldf files contain specific info about
> what
> PC they were created on?
> Are there third party apps that might be able to at least extract the
> tables?
> Thanks,
> WH