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Question: I
need to relocate the ExpressMaintenance database files to a different
drive. How can I change their location?
Answer:
Occasionally, users need to change the location of the
ExpressMaintenance database files. Usually, it is desirable to
locate the database files on a different drive with more free space.
You should first
know that the database engine is the MSDE which is a scaled down version
of the Microsoft SQL Server. It is a wonderful database engine but
does not function like a regular flat database. You cannot move
the file around at will with copy and paste, etc. You can get more
details on the database engine.
The actual database
files are ExpressMaintenance_Data.mdf and ExpressMaintenance_Log.ldf.
They reside in the \MSSQL7\Data folder. The same files reside in
the \ExpressTech folder but they were just used as templates to create
the acutal database.
In order to relocate
the data files, you must stop the database engine, drop the database,
copy the files, restart the database engine and attach the database
files. Assuming you do not own your own copy of Microsoft SQL
Server, you will need to download and install our ExpressUtility which
can be found at:
http://www.expresstechnology.com/DownloadTrial.htm
To move the
ExpressMaintenance database, follow these steps at the server:
-
Use ExpressMaintenance to make a backup of the data
before beginning. This is done under Administration / Backup &
Restore.
-
Exit all sessions of
ExpressMaintenance, ExpressRequest and any other programs using the MSDE
/ SQL Database Engine.
-
Click on Start /
Program Files / MSDE and open the Service Manager.
-
In the Service
Manager, click on the Stop button to Stop the database engine.
-
Using the Windows explorer, go to the MSSQL7\Data folder
and COPY ExpressMaintenance_Data.mdf and
ExpressMaintenance_Log.ldf files to a temporary drive and folder or the
desired drive and folder.
-
In the Service
Manager, click on the Start button to Start the database engine.
-
Run ExpressUtility and connect to the SQL server.
You must connect with the "sa" user login account and you must connect
to the "master" database. The "sa" password is likely blank (no
password).
-
Click on the Explore data tab.
-
Enter the sql statement of the following: "drop database
ExpressMaintenance"
-
Click the lightning bolt button (Execute SQL) to drop the
database. The program will indicate Done. Clicking the
button a second time will confirm the action was taken by responding
with an error that the database does not exist.
-
Click on the Data Connection tab button to return to the
main page of the ExpressUtility.
-
Click on the Create New Database button to activate the
wizard.
-
Select the ExpressMaintenance_Data.mdf data file and the
ExpressMaintenance_Log.ldf log file from the folder used in step 5
above. This will be the data files used to create the new
database. Click Next.
-
Enter / select the drive and folder where the new
database files are to reside. Click Next.
-
Enter the new database name which should be
ExpressMaintenance. Click Next.
-
Click Finish to have the new database created.
-
The new database should now exist. You can return
to the Connection tab of ExpressUtility and select the
ExpressMaintenance database and use the Explore Data to see the tables,
data, etc. Exit ExpressUtility when ready.
Run ExpressMaintenance from the server to
insure that everything is working properly. You will want check
the Connection.ini file if needed before setting up shortcuts.
Please see the tech bulletin
on setting up shortcuts to workstations. |
