I had the problem that Sharepoint_Config-ID-.log.ldf grow realy BIG (14GB) on a content database of 1 GB!
You can solve this problem by using “Shrink” command in the MS SQL Server Management Studio Express
First you need to connect to your Sharepoint 3.0 database called: \.pipemssql$microsoft##sseesqlquery – just put this string in your “Server name” field:
\.pipemssql$microsoft##sseesqlquery
Create full backup of all databases before continuing!
After that we should change restore mode from “Full” (this the parameter that allows .log.ldf to grow that large as transaction logs are not purged) to “Simple”:
Expand Databases, right mouse click on Sharepoint_Config… Properties, Options, Recovery model: Simple and click OK
Shrink the database procedure:
Expand Databases, right mouse click on Sharepoint_Config… Tasks, Shrink, Files in File type select Log and click OK
Your log file will become radicaly smaller. 🙂
Be sure you backup your databases before this procedure and also on daily bases…
Good luck!
Also check:
http://geekswithblogs.net/RogueCoder/archive/2008/06/03/122588.aspx
http://www.karaszi.com/SQLServer/info_dont_shrink.asp
Luka Manojlovic 
Great, this was the information I was looking for. I knew how to shrink the database but has problems accessing the server. Thanx to your servername string I was able to connect. Thanx!
LikeLike
Hey thanks so much for this, you are the man!
Really helped me out of a hole cheers again!
LikeLike
thanks for the server string
LikeLike
How would i connect to it if it was a remote server?
LikeLike
Hi Luka, thank you for this posting. I had a same problem …. Sorry not any more :). The servser connection string is magic …
LikeLike
Thank you! you explained it in very simple words. It worked for me and saved us from potential downtime and few sleepless nights. — Regards
LikeLike
Thanks Luke! you saved me 8Gig in 30 seconds and good timing as my drive was sitting at 200mb free space 🙂
Also a mention to Google for finding the page for me…
Awesome.
LikeLike
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ! this solved my problem completely… Thank you again.
best regards from MALAYSIA
LikeLike
cheers, you are a champ!
LikeLike
Sounds like a nice solution, but what if I get “Login Failed” – I am logged in to Windows with the only Windows Admin account. This is the standard SBS 2008 installation, can’t think of ever having set any Admin passwords for the WSS database.
LikeLike
For those with problems on SBS 2008 check this link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2000544
LikeLike
Excellent solution! We had our logs on SharePoint_Config getting up to 17gigs and our WSS_Content up to 35gigs. Ran the shrink file on both databases and now logs nearly at 0. Also thanks for the correct database string path.
LikeLike
Sem srinkal na WSS content in Config. Mi je re?ilo prostorsko stisko.
Hvala
LikeLike
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I have gone through dozens of websites that were longer and no help, this is exactly the information I needed!
LikeLike
This SAVED ME. HERO thanks
LikeLike
Wonderful. Saved my life 😉
Thank’s a lot!
LikeLike
This worked on the ShareWebDB database but when i tried to go to the properties of the Sharepoint_Config database i get and SQL error that says:
Property Owner is not available for Database ‘[SharePoint_Config_29c26fca-17b8-48c1-9704-b869932abcb6]’. This property may not exist for this object, or may not be retrievable due to insufficient access rights. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Express.Smo)
This appears to be the same error on other of servers.
LikeLike
You shuld run SQL management as administrator / right click / run as administrator
LikeLike
Same error running as administrator logged into server as administrator
LikeLike
Hello!
Here is the almost same way to shrink sharepoint database transaction log.
Thanks!
LikeLike
Thanks! This really helped, I was down to 2GB of disk space.
LikeLike
Brilliant. Thanks!
LikeLike
You are my hero – thanks for sharing your knowledge.
LikeLike
How do you “connect” to the SharePoint database? When I open SQL studio, the only db listed is my Antivirus one, and when I do File-> Connect, the only db’s I can browse to are other SQL instances installed by 3rd party apps, or SBS Monitoring: the SharePoint DB is not listed. Help! this is so frustrating! My C drive is almost out of pace due to 20GB ldf file, and I’ll need to forcefully remove SharePoint completely if I can’t get rid of the stupid ldf file.
LikeLike
By far the best thing to happen to my job! You just freed up over 20GB with just this. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
LikeLike
Thanks a lot for the \.pipemssql$microsoft##sseesqlquery information! None of the other dozen or so articles I found mentioned this, and I had no idea how to access the database.
LikeLike
Fantastic! This was life saver. Thanks!
LikeLike