Change Drive Letter

With reference to my previous posting, it seems that there
may be some misunderstanding.
We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
drive. However, we would like to rename the J drive to E
drive (Asked by the Network Administrator).
We would like to know is it necessary for us to do
anything for the change of drive letter ? Is it necessary
for us to detach and attach the database when he changes
the drive name? OR Just change the file location of the
database from J to E in EM?
Thanks
Renaming drive letters is really ugly. If you just rename the drive
letter then SQL Server probably wont even start because it will be
looking for the master database primary data file on the wrong drive
letter (which will no longer exist). This can be changed in the
registry but there are a myriad of other problems you will encounter.
It may be best just to detach all you user DBs, uninstall SQL Server,
rename the drive letters, reinstall SQL Server and reattach your user
DBs again (now located on the renamed drive letter). If you'd already
done a fair bit of server config you may want to backup your master,
model & msdb (and potentially distribution DB if configured as a
distributor participating in SQL replication) databases before
uninstalling SQL Server and then restore them after reinstalling.
*mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
*T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
*E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* http://www.mallesons.com
Jason wrote:

>With reference to my previous posting, it seems that there
>may be some misunderstanding.
>We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
>drive. However, we would like to rename the J drive to E
>drive (Asked by the Network Administrator).
>We would like to know is it necessary for us to do
>anything for the change of drive letter ? Is it necessary
>for us to detach and attach the database when he changes
>the drive name? OR Just change the file location of the
>database from J to E in EM?
>Thanks
>
>
|||Actually, this is not as dramati as Mike depicted, but backing up before
doing anything else is always a good idea. Check this article for details:
http://www.support.microsoft.com/kb/224071/EN-US/
"Mike Hodgson" wrote:

> Renaming drive letters is really ugly. If you just rename the drive
> letter then SQL Server probably wont even start because it will be
> looking for the master database primary data file on the wrong drive
> letter (which will no longer exist). This can be changed in the
> registry but there are a myriad of other problems you will encounter.
> It may be best just to detach all you user DBs, uninstall SQL Server,
> rename the drive letters, reinstall SQL Server and reattach your user
> DBs again (now located on the renamed drive letter). If you'd already
> done a fair bit of server config you may want to backup your master,
> model & msdb (and potentially distribution DB if configured as a
> distributor participating in SQL replication) databases before
> uninstalling SQL Server and then restore them after reinstalling.
> --
> *mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
> *T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
> *E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* http://www.mallesons.com
>
> Jason wrote:
>
|||That KB article is assuming the binaries directory is not moving too. I
may have misread/misunderstood the OP. I was basing the
uninstall/reinstall suggestion on the presumption that the whole SQL
installation was on the disk to be renamed (binaries, data files, log
files, tempdb, the works). I agree that if the binaries are staying
where they are (eg. on C:\Program Files\...) the you can move DBs
without the need to uninstall/reinstall and if the system DBs (master,
msdb & model) don't need to move then the process is virtually painless
with a simple detach/attach process.
*mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
*T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
*E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* http://www.mallesons.com
rdjabarov wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
>Actually, this is not as dramati as Mike depicted, but backing up before
>doing anything else is always a good idea. Check this article for details:
>http://www.support.microsoft.com/kb/224071/EN-US/
>"Mike Hodgson" wrote:
>

Change Drive Letter

We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
drive. However, we would like to change the drive letter
to E.
We would like to know what steps we should do in order to
move the database from J to E drive ? Is it necessary for
us to detach and attach the database ? OR Just change the
file location of the database from J to E in EM?
Thanks
You would need to detatch the database, move the files and then re-attach
the files to bring the DB back online. When re-attaching the files however
you will be able to browse for the .MDF file. If there are any subsequent
files such as .NDF or .LDF you *may* need to search for them separatly.
When detatching a database if you have any full text searches enabled on the
DB, these will need to be re-established once the database is re-attached.
This can be done by right clicking on the table with the full text index and
then proceeding to 'edit' the index.
Hope this helps.
Anubis.
"Jason" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:018701c5707c$2f643880$a601280a@.phx.gbl...
> We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
> drive. However, we would like to change the drive letter
> to E.
> We would like to know what steps we should do in order to
> move the database from J to E drive ? Is it necessary for
> us to detach and attach the database ? OR Just change the
> file location of the database from J to E in EM?
> Thanks
|||If it's just a single DB you're talking about, detach/attach would be
the best way. I'd strongly advise *against* hacking the system tables
to change the driver letter in sysfiles.
*mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
*T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
*E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* http://www.mallesons.com
Jason wrote:

>We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
>drive. However, we would like to change the drive letter
>to E.
>We would like to know what steps we should do in order to
>move the database from J to E drive ? Is it necessary for
>us to detach and attach the database ? OR Just change the
>file location of the database from J to E in EM?
>Thanks
>
sql

Change Drive Letter

With reference to my previous posting, it seems that there
may be some misunderstanding.
We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
drive. However, we would like to rename the J drive to E
drive (Asked by the Network Administrator).
We would like to know is it necessary for us to do
anything for the change of drive letter ? Is it necessary
for us to detach and attach the database when he changes
the drive name? OR Just change the file location of the
database from J to E in EM?
ThanksRenaming drive letters is really ugly. If you just rename the drive
letter then SQL Server probably wont even start because it will be
looking for the master database primary data file on the wrong drive
letter (which will no longer exist). This can be changed in the
registry but there are a myriad of other problems you will encounter.
It may be best just to detach all you user DBs, uninstall SQL Server,
rename the drive letters, reinstall SQL Server and reattach your user
DBs again (now located on the renamed drive letter). If you'd already
done a fair bit of server config you may want to backup your master,
model & msdb (and potentially distribution DB if configured as a
distributor participating in SQL replication) databases before
uninstalling SQL Server and then restore them after reinstalling.
*mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
*T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
*E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* http://www.mallesons.com
Jason wrote:

>With reference to my previous posting, it seems that there
>may be some misunderstanding.
>We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
>drive. However, we would like to rename the J drive to E
>drive (Asked by the Network Administrator).
>We would like to know is it necessary for us to do
>anything for the change of drive letter ? Is it necessary
>for us to detach and attach the database when he changes
>the drive name? OR Just change the file location of the
>database from J to E in EM?
>Thanks
>
>|||Actually, this is not as dramati as Mike depicted, but backing up before
doing anything else is always a good idea. Check this article for details:
http://www.support.microsoft.com/kb/224071/EN-US/
"Mike Hodgson" wrote:

> Renaming drive letters is really ugly. If you just rename the drive
> letter then SQL Server probably wont even start because it will be
> looking for the master database primary data file on the wrong drive
> letter (which will no longer exist). This can be changed in the
> registry but there are a myriad of other problems you will encounter.
> It may be best just to detach all you user DBs, uninstall SQL Server,
> rename the drive letters, reinstall SQL Server and reattach your user
> DBs again (now located on the renamed drive letter). If you'd already
> done a fair bit of server config you may want to backup your master,
> model & msdb (and potentially distribution DB if configured as a
> distributor participating in SQL replication) databases before
> uninstalling SQL Server and then restore them after reinstalling.
> --
> *mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
> *T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
> *E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* [url]http://www.mallesons.com[/url
]
>
> Jason wrote:
>
>|||That KB article is assuming the binaries directory is not moving too. I
may have misread/misunderstood the OP. I was basing the
uninstall/reinstall suggestion on the presumption that the whole SQL
installation was on the disk to be renamed (binaries, data files, log
files, tempdb, the works). I agree that if the binaries are staying
where they are (eg. on C:\Program Files\...) the you can move DBs
without the need to uninstall/reinstall and if the system DBs (master,
msdb & model) don't need to move then the process is virtually painless
with a simple detach/attach process.
*mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
*T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
*E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* http://www.mallesons.com
rdjabarov wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
>Actually, this is not as dramati as Mike depicted, but backing up before
>doing anything else is always a good idea. Check this article for details:
>http://www.support.microsoft.com/kb/224071/EN-US/
>"Mike Hodgson" wrote:
>
>

Change Drive Letter

We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
drive. However, we would like to change the drive letter
to E.
We would like to know what steps we should do in order to
move the database from J to E drive ? Is it necessary for
us to detach and attach the database ? OR Just change the
file location of the database from J to E in EM?
ThanksYou would need to detatch the database, move the files and then re-attach
the files to bring the DB back online. When re-attaching the files however
you will be able to browse for the .MDF file. If there are any subsequent
files such as .NDF or .LDF you *may* need to search for them separatly.
When detatching a database if you have any full text searches enabled on the
DB, these will need to be re-established once the database is re-attached.
This can be done by right clicking on the table with the full text index and
then proceeding to 'edit' the index.
Hope this helps.
Anubis.
"Jason" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:018701c5707c$2f643880$a601280a@.phx.gbl...
> We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
> drive. However, we would like to change the drive letter
> to E.
> We would like to know what steps we should do in order to
> move the database from J to E drive ? Is it necessary for
> us to detach and attach the database ? OR Just change the
> file location of the database from J to E in EM?
> Thanks|||If it's just a single DB you're talking about, detach/attach would be
the best way. I'd strongly advise *against* hacking the system tables
to change the driver letter in sysfiles.
*mike hodgson* |/ database administrator/ | mallesons stephen jaques
*T* +61 (2) 9296 3668 |* F* +61 (2) 9296 3885 |* M* +61 (408) 675 907
*E* mailto:mike.hodgson@.mallesons.nospam.com |* W* http://www.mallesons.com
Jason wrote:

>We have installed a SQL Server 2000 database on the J
>drive. However, we would like to change the drive letter
>to E.
>We would like to know what steps we should do in order to
>move the database from J to E drive ? Is it necessary for
>us to detach and attach the database ? OR Just change the
>file location of the database from J to E in EM?
>Thanks
>