Change Instance Name

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Change Instance Name

AndrewSQLDBA

SSC-Insane

Points: 21827
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February 24, 2010 at 12:03 pm

#217259

Hello Everyone
IS there a way to change the instance name? I would like to change the instance name to something a little easier to type, and something much shorter in text.
I seem to remember that the instance name can be modified, but I cannot be certain.
Thanks
Andrew SQLDBA

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george sibbald SSC Guru Points: 104210 More actions · Answer 1

nope, you would have to uinstall\reinstall, and that doesn't seem worth it to save a bit of typing 🙂

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AndrewSQLDBA SSC-Insane Points: 21827 More actions · Answer 2

It's worth it to me. I really do not like what some fool named this instance

Thanks

Andrew SQLDBA

BuntyBoy SSCommitted Points: 1876 More actions · Answer 3

Hi,

You can try below options:-

1) Collect current instance configuration using sp_helpserver

2) Drop the old server and create a new one.

sp_dropserver ‘old_name’

go

sp_addserver ‘new_name’,‘local’

go

3) Verify the configurations

Hope it works. Thanks.

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GRE (Gethyn Ellis) SSCrazy Eights Points: 9602 More actions · Answer 4

You could create an alias?

Is it a named instance or the default instance.

If its a named instance, and its the instance name you want to change then i think you will have to stop reinstall with a new name.

If its the default instance then you have to change the name of the computer running SQL Server and then run the scripts listed above to change the meta data in SQL Server. On a default instance SQL will automatically pick the computer name change at start up but the meta data in SQL will still have the old name so you have to run the scripts to change it.

Also worth noting if you have Maint Plans they don't pick up the chnag either and will likely stop working, You may have to drop them before the rename and recreate them after. I have seen a script that can fix them too but I can't find that at the momenet.

Also if the DB is used for reporting services there is a different process for renaming the computer. It will likely break any replication and mirroring setup too. You

Think that's about it, hope it helps

Gethyn Elliswww.gethynellis.com

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

shivrampal (2/24/2010)
Hi,
You can try below options:-
1) Collect current instance configuration using sp_helpserver
2) Drop the old server and create a new one.
sp_dropserver ‘old_name’
go
sp_addserver ‘new_name’,‘local’
go
3) Verify the configurations
Hope it works. Thanks.

As Gethyn said, this is for when the server name has changed and you want to update the metadata within SQL. after a server rename this will be the least of your problems though.

Using an alias sounds like a good idea to me.

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