Install Microsoft SQL Server 2012 PowerPivot for Microsoft Excel 2010

Microsoft PowerPivot for Excel is a exciting tool for analyzing data. It is very convenient for us to use in Excel because we almost don’t need to write any code for data analysis.
Since Microsoft Powerpivot for Microsoft Excel 2010 release, I have already used it in business work for a long time. Recently, I decide to change its version to 64-bit Microsoft SQL 2012 Powerpivot for Microsoft Excel 2010 because I get memory issue when run it. I think the 64-bit version can extend more memory than 32-bit one!

When I download “PowerPivot_for_Excel_amd64.msi” from this URL http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29074 and execute it on Windows 7 64-bit version, I get a error message as follows:
I read PowerPivot Instructions and find out I forget to install “Visual Studio 2010 Tools for Office Runtime” in the moment.
So I download 64-bit version and install it next to update the last hotfix, I can install Microsoft SQL Server 2012 PowerPivot by Wizard now.
After installing PowerPivot next to open Excel program, I find out that PowerPivot item never show in menu.
I know need to do something to enable it.
Click “File” –>  "Options”, it will show up Excel Options window.
In Excel Options, click “Add-Ins” –> Select “COM Add-ins” in Manage menu –> Click “Go…” button and the COM Add-Ins window will show up.
In COM Add-Ins window, enable “PowerPivot for Excel” check box next to click “OK” button, the result is nothing happen --- that is “PowerPivot” item still disappear.
Why?
Because COM Add-Ins load behavior fail!
How to resolve this problem? Reinstall .Net Framework 4.0 again!
You can download .NET Framework 4 (Web Installer) or (Standalone Installer) from Microsoft Web Site.
After Installation is completed, don’t forget to check Windows Update again.
Redo the above process to enable “PowerPivot” check box, the load behavior is normal.
And PowerPivot item can be see now.
I think the key point is whether “Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Extended” exist.

Recover data from Volume Shadow Copy mechanism (part 2 of 2)

(2).Use ShadowExplorer Utility
We can download from http://www.shadowexplorer.com/downloads.html and install it on 32-bit or 64-bit Windows platform.
Open this program next to select one volume as “C:” and create time, you can see all contents in right plane.
Right-Click the loss data from this and select “Export” to put this data to the special location.
In Server version, we need to do item (1) for creating Shadow Copy.
But in workstation version as 64-bit windows 7, We can directly create it by ShadowExplorer’s “Configure System Protection…”
It will pop up the System Properties and press “Create…” button for creating Shadow Copy.

(3).Restore file by Shared Folder in Remote ComputerIf one folder want to be restored, we can make it into shared folder as “\\TEST-SQL-03\sqlfile”
In remote computer with Shadow Copy Client installed, right-click this shared folder next to select “Properties” in menu so that the shared folder property will show up.
In the proptery of shared folder, click “Previous Versions” tab –> select the right timestamp –> click “Open” button
So does that all files will show up behind this shared folder. Now we can select one or some loss files to recover.
Or If we click “Copy” button and select one path, all files & folders behind the shared folder will be restored into the special path.


<<<   Recover data from Volume Shadow Copy mechanism (part 1 of 2)

Recover data from Volume Shadow Copy mechanism (part 1 of 2)

Volume Shadow Copy is a Microsoft mechanism that can automatically backup the volume content based on pre-determined interval. If need to restore individual files,you can select any of the previous 64 versions of the shadowed volume to restore it and get the deleted, damaged or overwritten files.

At first, we need to configure and enable Shadow Copy from command line or computer management as follows:
Adds a shadow copy storage association for a specified volumeTo enable Shadow Copy for a volume, we can do the following syntax from the command-line RunAs administrator:
”vssadmin add shadowstorage /for=volume /on=storevolume /maxsize=xxxMB”
In the Shadow Copies tab of property of Volume, click  “Volume C:\” and “Settings” button
You will see the related value mapping to the above command-line
Run “vssadmin list shadows” & “vssadmin list shadowstorage” again to realize the information about shadow copy

Creates a new shadow copy of a specified volume
To create Shadow Copy for a volume, we can do the following syntax from the command-line RunAs administrator:
”vssadmin create shadow /for=volume”
In the Shadow Copies tab of property of Volume, you will see a times tag on Shadow copies of selected volume.
The above command is as click “Create Now” button so that it show a new time tag record now.
Run “vssadmin list shadows” & “vssadmin list shadowstorage” again to know there is two contents of shadow copy and its storage space is occupied now.

One day, I go wrong to delete a database “Northwind” & overwrite file content from “1” to “shadow copy” in C:\SQLFILE\TEST1.sql

How to recover these data now?

(1).Create a symbolic link to a shadow copy volume<Method 1>
Run “vssadmin list shadows /for=C:” and base on create time to find which shadow copy volume will be restored. In the output screen, we will use this shadow copy volume “\\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolumeShadowCopy2” as restore base.
To create a directory symbolic link, we can do the following syntax from the command-line RunAs administrator: ”mklink /d NewLinkName ShadowCopyVolume\”
Now we can explore the content of shadow copy.

<Method 2>
Right-click the drive letter on which the shadow copy is created next to click “Properties” in menu.
In Disk Properties, click “Previous Versions” –> select one shadow copies based on data modified –> click “Open” button
Now we can explore the content of shadow copy.
When we choose either method, the loss file will be found and recovered now!

Recover data from Volume Shadow Copy mechanism (part 2 of 2)   >>>