SQL SERVER – Move Database Files MDF and LDF to Another Location

When a novice DBA or Developer create a database they use SQL Server Management Studio to create new database. Additionally, the T-SQL script to create a database is very easy as well. You can just write CREATE DATABASE DatabaseName and it will create new database for you. The point to remember here is that it will create the database at the default location specified in SQL Server Instance (this default instance, can be changed and we will see that in future blog posts). Now, once the database files goes in production it will start to grow.

It is not common to keep the Database on the same location where OS is installed. Usually Database files are in SAN, Separate Disk Array or on SSDs. This is done usually for performance reason and manageability perspective. Now the challenges come up when database which was installed at not preferred default location and needs to move to a different location. Here is the quick tutorial how you can do it.

Let us assume we have two folders loc1 and loc2. We want to move database files from loc1 to loc2.

USE MASTER;
GO
-- Take database in single user mode -- if you are facing errors
-- This may terminate your active transactions for database
ALTER DATABASE TestDB
SET SINGLE_USER
WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;
GO
-- Detach DB
EXEC MASTER.dbo.sp_detach_db @dbname = N'TestDB'
GO

Now move the files from loc1 to loc2. You can now reattach the files with new locations.

-- Move MDF File from Loc1 to Loc 2
-- Re-Attached DB
CREATE DATABASE [TestDB] ON
( FILENAME = N'F:\loc2\TestDB.mdf' ),
( FILENAME = N'F:\loc2\TestDB_log.ldf' )
FOR ATTACH
GO

Well, we are done. There is little warning here for you: If you do ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE you may terminate your active transactions so do not use it randomly. Do it if you are confident that they are not needed or due to any reason there is a connection to the database which you are not able to kill manually after review.

Reference : Pinal Dave (http://blog.SQLAuthority.com)

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