Pull the restore chain from MSDB

What files do I need to restore this database to a point in time?

You might know this off the top of your head, especially if you set up the backups or if you don’t have a lot of backups, but just in case you’re panicking, ask MSDB.  MSDB knows all… unless that data has been purged.  (Sorry.)

declare @dbname varchar(80),
@lastfull datetime,
@lastdiff datetime,
@fullback varchar(1024),
@diffback varchar(1024),
@RowsToProcess int,
@CurrentRow int,
@restorediff varchar(max),
@logback varchar(1024),
@restoreday datetime

set @dbname = ‘YourDB’
set @restoreday = ‘1/1/2016 8:05am’ –Make sure the time zone is your server’s time zone.

select @lastfull = max(backup_finish_date)
FROM master.sys.databases d
LEFT OUTER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupset b ON d.name = b.database_name AND b.type = ‘D’
WHERE d.database_id NOT IN (2, 3) and d.name=@dbname
and description like ‘Backup on%’
and backup_finish_date < @restoreday

SELECT    @fullback = m.physical_device_name
FROM         msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily AS m INNER JOIN
msdb.dbo.backupset AS b ON m.media_set_id = b.media_set_id
and b.type=’D’ and b.database_name=@dbname
AND b.backup_finish_date=@lastfull

print @fullback

SELECT @lastdiff = b.backup_finish_date FROM msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily AS m INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupset AS b ON m.media_set_id = b.media_set_id and b.type=’I’ and b.database_name=@dbname AND b.backup_finish_date>@lastfull AND b.backup_finish_date < @restoreday

If @@ROWCOUNT = 0
begin
set @lastdiff = @lastfull
end

select @diffback = m.physical_device_name FROM msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily AS m INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupset AS b ON m.media_set_id = b.media_set_id and b.type=’I’ and b.database_name=@dbname AND b.backup_finish_date=@lastdiff

print @diffback

CREATE TABLE #logs (RowID int not null primary key identity(1,1), logback nvarchar(255),finishdate datetime)
insert into #logs SELECT distinct m.physical_device_name, b.backup_finish_date FROM msdb.dbo.backupmediafamily AS m INNER JOIN msdb.dbo.backupset AS b ON m.media_set_id = b.media_set_id and b.type=’L’ and b.database_name=@dbname AND b.backup_finish_date>@lastdiff AND b.backup_finish_date<@restoreday order by b.backup_finish_date

SELECT @RowsToProcess=COUNT(logback) from #logs

SET @CurrentRow=0
WHILE @CurrentRow<@RowsToProcess
BEGIN
SET @CurrentRow=@CurrentRow+1
SELECT
@logback=logback
FROM #logs
WHERE RowID=@CurrentRow
print @logback
END

drop table #logs