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One of those clean-up tasks we come across in development severs is to move database mdf and ldf files to a new location. SQL Server isn’t as GUI-friendly yet to allow one to just change the paths on database properties. I have tried this out in SQL Server 2008, but the method must essentially be the same in 2005 and 2000 versions also.
What we have to do is this.
– Detach the Database
– Move the files
– Attach the database with the new location
Detach
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use master go sp_detach_db DB_To_Move |
Instead of “use master”, you can just set the query window drop-down to any DB other than DB_To_Move
Now, you need to move the files from its current location to wherever you need it to be (say, d:\data\)
Attach
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use master go sp_attach_db DB_To_Move, 'D:\data\dbtomove.mdb', 'D:\data\dbtomove_log.ldb' |
Again, ideally it is just the sp_attach_db line that you would need to execute. Make sure the file security permissions are set aptly at the target location.
However, things get a bit tricky if you want to move system db files to a new location (we don’t usually findourselves doing this). Please refer this for further reference on that.