Do you have any performance counters running on the server?

The DBA's/Monitoring Guys should be able to provide you with a list of locking querys/procedures if you ask them.

Please post a more detailed error also.

Didn't think it would be a good idea to post interview questions for a job I've already got...

SELECT DviStartTime, DviEndTime

FROM ImaginaryTable

ORDER DviStartTime ASC, DviEndTime DESC

I would personally go with extended events. (Bit of an explanation here)

Hopefully thats useful for you.

You could restore previous backups on to a test box and run this proc to get all table sizes, then compare.

SELECT

t.NAME AS TableName,

...

1. Stop SQL Server

2. Delete RELEVANT MDF + LDF files

3. Start SQL Server

or just detach it.

Ahhh on mobile ATM. Didn't realise.

Few things on here worth triple checking

And 1434?

You definitely do not need to specify a name. IP address is enough.

Yes

Or follow these instructions, [/url]

Do a remote port scan is 1433 open?

Good post covering failed startup scenarios by msdn

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Looks like you can change a few regusty values to repoint data files whilst SQL server engine is offline.