MSSQLSERVER.exe migration to different drive letter

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MSSQLSERVER.exe migration to different drive letter

jfriedl

SSC Enthusiast

Points: 120
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January 21, 2013 at 8:45 am

#273060

so I have a bit of an odd question. at my new company the former DBA did one of the messiest SQL installs I have ever seen. that said I need to migrate the actual service and files to a different drive.
anyone know of a fast way to do this to minimize downtime. Ive never actually had to do this before.
If anyone is curious, its a VMWare server with dynamic spanned disks across two volumes that I pointed out needs to be fixed ASAP as we are seeing 100ms+ write and read latencies. Its a damn nightmare.

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Lowell SSC Guru Points: 323518 More actions · Answer 1

as far as I know, the binaries for SQL must be installed on the %systemdrive% (usually the C:\ drive)

that part cannot be changed, but you can easily change / move where all the databases and default paths are pointing to.

For changing the default paths for folders and backups you go here in Facets:

for moving the databases and system databases, MS has a decent articles:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345408(v=sql.90).aspx

http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/1604/move-all-sql-server-system-databases-at-one-time/

Lowell

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Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 2

Lowell (1/21/2013)
as far as I know, the binaries for SQL must be installed on the %systemdrive% (usually the C:\ drive)

The binaries can be anywhere. I have mine installed on the D drive (system is C)

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 3

jfriedl (1/21/2013)
so I have a bit of an odd question. at my new company the former DBA did one of the messiest SQL installs I have ever seen. that said I need to migrate the actual service and files to a different drive.

To move the binaries, dlls and the rest of the installation...

Uninstall. Reinstall.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

jfriedl SSC Enthusiast Points: 120 More actions · Answer 4

I was hoping I wouldnt have to do that, does MS have any best practices for where the binaries and dll files should be installed?

george sibbald SSC Guru Points: 104210 More actions · Answer 5

the installation Path can be anywhere, some parts of the install will always end up on the C drive though.

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george sibbald SSC Guru Points: 104210 More actions · Answer 6

jfriedl (1/21/2013)
I was hoping I wouldnt have to do that, does MS have any best practices for where the binaries and dll files should be installed?

not on the system drive, nor on the same drive as the databases

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