How to recover Unattached SharePoint Content

For recovering Unattached SharePoint Content you need to be attached to a SQL Server. Site collections, Sites, Lists, and Libraries can be restored from an unattached database.

To recover data from an unattached content database, perform the following steps:

• Open the SharePoint Central Administration site on a SharePoint Server
• Now select Backup and Restore in Quick Launch.
• Select Recover Data from an unattached content database under the Granular Backup section.
• Now you will see Unattached Content Database Data Recovery page, enter the name of the database server, and then enter the database name from which you want connect database server. If you use SQL authentication, provide credentials and select the operation to perform, either Browse Content, Backup Site Collection, or Export a Site or List to select a site collection.
• From the drop-down menu on the Browse content page, select the site collection. On the site collection dialog page, check the name of the content database and then select the site collection to backup from the unattached content database. Click OK to return to the Browse Content page
• Now select Backup Site Collection Operation and then click next.
• On the Site Collection Backup page, enter backup location and the filename ending with extension .bak in the Filename box. Select Overwrite Existing File if you want to overwrite and then click Start Backup.

After starting the backup, SharePoint 2010 displays the Granular Backup Job Status page. On this page you can see site collection backup status.

Above method is prefer in situations in which a site collection or a list needs to be retrieved from a content database not attached to a SharePoint web application but to a SQL Server instance.

If above method does not work then you have one another solution ie use of SharePoint Recovery Tools.

Stellar Phoenix SharePoint Server Recovery is one of the best tool that performs SharePoint Recovery by repairing the damaged MDF file. It supports MS SharePoint server 2010 & 2007. It shows compatibility with various operating systems like Windows 7, Vista, Server 2003, XP, 2000, NT, and 9x. MS SQL Server 2000, 2005, and 2008 are supported by such software.