# How to read a Recover.log **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions\ **Tags:** community\ **Created:** [February 13, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766 "2020-02-13T16:04:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PattyB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/pattyb/32/398_2.png) [@PattyB](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/PattyB)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/1 "2020-02-13T16:04:52Z")
How do I make sense of a Recover.log file? A user reported that one of their files wouldn't open because they got the error that the file was damaged. Well, every backup I've run a recover on has been damaged. I don't know how to read the log file though to see what exactly was damaged. Any help? ---
**Author:** ![WimDecorte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b19c9b/32.png) [@WimDecorte](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/WimDecorte)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/2 "2020-02-13T16:55:10Z")
search anything that has "changed", "modified", "deleted". How does that user open files? Where are those files located? On a network share? ---
**Author:** ![PattyB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/pattyb/32/398_2.png) [@PattyB](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/PattyB)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 4:56pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/3 "2020-02-13T16:56:30Z")
It is hosted on FileMaker Server. The Server is version 18. It is opened via FileMaker Pro Advanced 18. ---
**Author:** ![WimDecorte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b19c9b/32.png) [@WimDecorte](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/WimDecorte)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/4 "2020-02-13T17:04:24Z")
That's weird, can you post a screenshot of what the user is getting? The user doesn't actually open the file, they just connect to it, I would expect that if the file is damaged then FMS wouldn't be able to open it to host it. ---
**Author:** ![PattyB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/pattyb/32/398_2.png) [@PattyB](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/PattyB)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/5 "2020-02-13T17:06:34Z")
Here is the error message they are getting: ![Damaged error message](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fmsoup/original/1X/8b15631255a8a1f176cf3848b6bf7b7c844fdfb5.png) Also, a quick search for those 3 terms yielded the following results: "changed": Every custom theme, and the standard "enlightened" and "enlightened print" themes all said "this item changed". "modified": At the very end of the log was this line `Structure: scanned; 2 item(s) modified` "deleted": relational dependencies, as well as stuff like last used import order, etc... ---
**Author:** ![jormond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/35a633/32.png) [@jormond](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jormond)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/7 "2020-02-13T17:57:05Z")
What version of FileMaker Server? ---
**Author:** ![PattyB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/pattyb/32/398_2.png) [@PattyB](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/PattyB)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 5:59pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/8 "2020-02-13T17:59:01Z")
18.0.2 ---
**Author:** ![PattyB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/pattyb/32/398_2.png) [@PattyB](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/PattyB)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/9 "2020-02-13T18:19:32Z")
So I ran a recover on a local backup copy. It said there were problems. Then, since I was out of ideas, I ran a recover on the recovered file. It said it was fine to use... Is that trustworthy? ---
**Author:** ![WimDecorte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b19c9b/32.png) [@WimDecorte](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/WimDecorte)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/10 "2020-02-13T18:59:23Z")
The recovery process is not transparent and its sole purpose is to get the file is such a state that you can get the data out. To do that it may sacrifice anything at all in the file to make that happen. Which is why it is best practice to: - not re-use a recovered file - check your backups regularly None of that helps you know so it's a bit of a risk. We can't tell you whether you need to take that risk... But do spend some time scrutinizing your deployment, clearly something damaged the file so it would be good to find out what and to make sure that you minimize the chances of that happening going forward. ---
**Author:** ![jormond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/35a633/32.png) [@jormond](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/jormond)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/11 "2020-02-13T19:34:10Z")
If the indexes are corrupted, and it happens more than once, turn off Startup Restoration. ---
**Author:** ![FileKraft](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/the.fmsoup.org/filekraft/32/1183_2.png) [@FileKraft](https://the.fmsoup.org/u/FileKraft)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://the.fmsoup.org/t/how-to-read-a-recover-log/766/12 "2020-02-15T15:57:28Z")
great insight can be found here: [http://fileshoppe.com/recover.htm](http://fileshoppe.com/recover.htm) also professional repair services etc.: [http://fmdiff.com/repairs.php?session=7ts2d3q7melto6sriptr0racg4](http://fmdiff.com/repairs.php?session=7ts2d3q7melto6sriptr0racg4)