Moving System Databases

Moving System Databases


Moving the master Database


To move the master database, follow these steps.

1. From the Start menu, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server, point to Configuration Tools, and then click SQL Server Configuration Manager.

2. In the SQL Server Services node, right-click the instance of SQL Server (for example, SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)) and choose Properties.

3. In the SQL Server (instance_name) Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.

4. Edit the Startup Parameters values to point to the planned location for the master database data and log files, and click OK. Moving the error log file is optional.

The parameter value for the data file must follow the -d parameter and the value for the log file must follow the -l parameter. The following example shows the parameter values for the default location of the master data and log files.


-dC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\

master.mdf;-eC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\

LOG\ERRORLOG;-lC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\

DATA\mastlog.ldf

If the planned relocation for the master data and log files is E:\SQLData, the parameter values would be changed as follows:


-dE:\SQLData\master.mdf;-eC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG;-lE:\SQLData\mastlog.ldf

5. Stop the instance of SQL Server by right-clicking the instance name and choosing Stop.

6. Move the master.mdf and mastlog.ldf files to the new location.

7. Restart the instance of SQL Server.



8. Verify the file change for the master database by running the following query.



SELECT name, physical_name AS CurrentLocation, state_desc

FROM sys.master_files

WHERE database_id = DB_ID('master');

GO

Moving the tempdb database



Note

Because tempdb is re-created each time the instance of SQL Server is started, you do not have to physically move the data and log files. The files are created in the new location when the service is restarted in step 3. Until the service is restarted, tempdb continues to use the data and log files in existing location.

1. Determine the logical file names of the tempdb database and their current location on the disk.


SELECT name, physical_name AS CurrentLocation

FROM sys.master_files

WHERE database_id = DB_ID(N'tempdb');

GO

2. Change the location of each file by using ALTER DATABASE.


USE master;

GO

ALTER DATABASE tempdb

MODIFY FILE (NAME = tempdev, FILENAME = 'E:\SQLData\tempdb.mdf');

GO

ALTER DATABASE tempdb

MODIFY FILE (NAME = templog, FILENAME = 'F:\SQLLog\templog.ldf');

GO

3. Stop and restart the instance of SQL Server.

4. Verify the file change.


SELECT name, physical_name AS CurrentLocation, state_desc

FROM sys.master_files

WHERE database_id = DB_ID(N'tempdb');

5. Delete the tempdb.mdf and templog.ldf files from the original location.



This procedure applies to move all system databases except the master and Resource databases.

1. Stop the instance of SQL Server if it is started.

2. Start the instance of SQL Server in master-only recovery mode by entering one of the following commands at the command prompt. The parameters specified in these commands are case sensitive. The commands fail when the parameters are not specified as shown.

• For the default (MSSQLSERVER) instance, run the following command:


NET START MSSQLSERVER /f /T3608

• For a named instance, run the following command:


NET START MSSQL$instancename /f /T3608

3. For more information, see How to: Start an Instance of SQL Server (net Commands).

4. For each file to be moved, use sqlcmd commands or SQL Server Management Studio to run the following statement.


ALTER DATABASE database_name MODIFY FILE( NAME = logical_name , FILENAME = 'new_path\os_file_name' )

For more information about using the sqlcmd utility, see Using the sqlcmd Utility.

5. Exit the sqlcmd utility or SQL Server Management Studio.

6. Stop the instance of SQL Server. For example, run NET STOP MSSQLSERVER.

7. Move the file or files to the new location.

8. Restart the instance of SQL Server. For example, run NET START MSSQLSERVER.

9. Verify the file change by running the following query.


SELECT name, physical_name AS CurrentLocation, state_desc

FROM sys.master_files

WHERE database_id = DB_ID(N'');