Retrieve linked servers out of system database files?

Question

I have the data and log files of a SQL-Server that has crashed. It's user databases have been restored. I am looking for the jobs and linked servers that have been there before the crash. I attached the old system databases and looked ad some views. Jobs have been found quickly in msdb. but sys.servers and sys.sysservers seem to query and display the current server always.

I tried:

select * from sys.servers 
select * from msdb_old.sys.servers 
select * from master_old.sys.servers 

but all of them return the same, only the current server config.

Are the linked server objects persisted and queryable anywhere in the old files?

Answer 1

The answer placed here for future reference if needed. It looks as though this data may be in a hidden table in the master database sys schema named sysxsrvs.

According to what I could find this may be available to be queried if connected through the DAC.

It also uses sysobjvalues (contained in all databases). I believe to populate the srvproduct/providername fields.

reference: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms179503.aspx