Post reply

Shrinking the system database

  • July 13, 2007 at 10:59 am

    #68857

    HI. I recently inherited a sql server. As I was getting familiar with it, I noticed the master database was HUGE(like 772 mb) I found 2 user tables that were placed in there. I just deleted the 2 user tables. Amazingly, I now have 758 mb free. it is only using about 14 mb now. I would like to shrink the system db to around 60 MB. From reading BOL, I can do this while users are on the server? Can someone verify that for me? I have never had to shrink the system database before and am a little nervous about doing it. I was going to use EM to do this. 

    Thanks so much !!

    Juanita

  • July 14, 2007 at 11:20 pm

    #719504

    But why do you want to shrink the system databases. If you find any wanted tables then check and remove them. There will be no huge space occupied by your system DBs unless they have user tables and data. Check the size of the databases they will be in MBs not more than that shrinking them will anyhow not help you to reduce disk space.

    Cheers,
    Sugeshkumar Rajendran
    SQL Server MVP
    http://sugeshkr.blogspot.com

  • July 15, 2007 at 9:50 am

    #719522

    Because it's 3/4 of a gig of disk space that will never ever be used again if things are done right.

    Juanita,

    You are correct in being nervous... As you know, if you mess up the Master database, you'll have big problems.  So... make sure you do full backups first AND make sure they are restorable on another machine.  Make sure the full backups include the Master, MSDB, and Model databases and have at it...

    --Jeff Moden

    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • July 15, 2007 at 11:08 am

    #719528

    dont ever shrink the system dbs except tempdb......but i wonder how your master is 750MB it shud be less than 100MB....check and remove all user tables if any from the master.......

     

     

    [font="Verdana"]- Deepak[/font]

  • July 15, 2007 at 11:23 am

    #719530

    I'm thinking you didn't read the original post and there's nothing wrong with shrinking Master when this type of mistake has been made.

    --Jeff Moden

    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • July 16, 2007 at 12:27 am

    #719564

    If there is 772MB free then you can shrink the master DB but as Jeff suggested take a backup of the database before that.

    Cheers,
    Sugeshkumar Rajendran
    SQL Server MVP
    http://sugeshkr.blogspot.com

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply