Moving System Databases One Place To Another

Best-Practice Of Moving Master and Resource Databse:

Notes: -

1.    The procedures in this topic require the logical name of the database files. To obtain the name, query the name column in the sys.master_files catalog view.

2.    Before moving the system databases, ensure to have full database backup of all system databases (except Resource database).

3.    Also, ensure to have offline backup (mdf & ldf files) of all system databases including Resource database.

4.    Carry out the activity successfully on the UAT server before proceeding with the same on the Production servers.

Moving the master and Resource Databases

The Resource database depends on the location of the master database. The Resource data and log files must reside together and must be in the same location as the master data file (master.mdf). Therefore, if you move the master database, you must also move the Resource database to the same location as the master data file. Do not put the Resource database in either compressed or encrypted NTFS file system folders. Doing so will hinder performance and prevent upgrades.

To move the master and Resource databases, follow these steps.

1. From the Start menu, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2005, point to Configuration Tools, and then click SQL Server Configuration Manager.
2. In the SQL Server 2005 Services node, right-click the instance of SQL Server (for example, SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)) and choose Properties.
3. In the SQL Server (instance_name) Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
4. Edit the Startup Parameters values to point to the planned location for the master database data and log files, and click OK. Moving the error log file is optional.
   The parameter value for the data file must follow the -d parameter and the value for the log file must follow the -l parameter. The following example shows the parameter values for the default location of the master data and log files.

-dC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\master.mdf;

-eC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG;

-lC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\mastlog.ldf

If the planned relocation for the master data and log files is E:\SQLData, the parameter values would be changed as follows:

-dE:\SQLData\master.mdf;

-eC:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG;

-lE:\SQLData\mastlog.ldf

5. Stop the instance of SQL Server by right-clicking the instance name and choosing Stop.
6. Move the master.mdf and mastlog.ldf files to the new location.
7. Start the instance of SQL Server in master-only recovery mode by entering one of the following commands at the command prompt. The parameters specified in these commands are case sensitive. The commands fail when the parameters are not specified as shown.

·         For the default (MSSQLSERVER) instance, run the following command:

NET START MSSQLSERVER /f /T3608

·         For a named instance, run the following command:

NET START MSSQL$instancename /f /T3608

8. Using sqlcmd commands or SQL Server Management Studio, run the following statements. Change the FILENAME path to match the new location of the master data file. Do not change the name of the database or the file names.

ALTER DATABASE mssqlsystemresource 

MODIFY FILE (NAME=data, FILENAME= 'new_path_of_master\mssqlsystemresource.mdf');

GO

ALTER DATABASE mssqlsystemresource 

MODIFY FILE (NAME=log, FILENAME= 'new_path_of_master\mssqlsystemresource.ldf');

GO

9. Move the mssqlsystemresource.mdf and mssqlsystemresource.ldf files to the new location.
10. Set the Resource database to read-only by running the following statement:

ALTER DATABASE mssqlsystemresource SET READ_ONLY;

11. Exit the sqlcmd utility or SQL Server Management Studio.
12. Stop the instance of SQL Server.
13. Restart the instance of SQL Server.
14. Verify the file change for the master database by running the following query. The Resource database metadata cannot be viewed by using the system catalog views or system tables.

SELECT name, physical_name AS CurrentLocation, state_desc

FROM sys.master_files

WHERE database_id = DB_ID ('master');

GO

Moving model and msdb databases

Moving of model and msdb databases also follow the similar procedure as moving the tempdb database but with some additional steps.
Since these are also system databases, unfortunately we cannot move them just by detach and attach process, as we cannot attach or detach a system database.

Moving model database:

1.            First get the list of model database files by using this query

select name,physical_name from sys.master_files whereDB_NAME(database_id)='model'  

2.            Then for each model database file that you need to move, execute statements like below
Alter Database model modify

file (NAME = 'modeldev' ,

FILENAME = 'Drive:\Path\model.mdf') -- Mention the new location

Alter Database model modify

file (NAME = 'modellog' ,

FILENAME = 'Drive:\Path\modellog.ldf') -- Mention the new location

3.            Stop SQL Services

4.            Move the files manually to the new location

5.            Start SQL Services

6.            Verify the new Location
select name,physical_name from sys.master_files whereDB_NAME(database_id)='model'

Moving msdb database:

1.            First get the list of msdb files by using this query

select name,physical_name from sys.master_files whereDB_NAME(database_id)='msdb'  

2.            Then for each msdb database file that you need to move, execute statements like below
Alter Database msdb modify

file (NAME = 'MSDBData' ,

FILENAME = 'Drive:\Path\MSDBData.mdf') -- Mention the new location

Alter Database msdb modify

file (NAME = 'MSDBLog' ,

FILENAME = 'Drive:\Path\MSDBLog.ldf') -- Mention the new location

3.            Stop SQL Services

4.            Move the files manually to the new location

5.            Start SQL Services

6.            Verify the new Location

select name,physical_name from sys.master_files whereDB_NAME(database_id)='msdb'

If the SQL Server Instance is configured with Database Mail option, then after the msdb movement you will have to verify that the database mail is working fine by sending a test email.

DEMO :-

sp_helpdb 'master'

ALTER DATABASE mssqlsystemresource

MODIFY FILE (NAME=data, FILENAME= 'D:\prod\mssqlsystemresource.mdf');

GO

ALTER DATABASE mssqlsystemresource

MODIFY FILE (NAME=log, FILENAME= 'D:\prod\mssqlsystemresource.ldf');

GO

--Move the mssqlsystemresource.mdf and mssqlsystemresource.ldf files to the new location.

--Set the Resource database to read-only by running the following statement:

ALTER DATABASE mssqlsystemresource SET READ_ONLY;

sp_helpdb 'model'

Alter DATABASE MODEL MODIFY FILE

( NAME=modeldev,FILENAME='D:\prod\model.MDF')

GO

Alter DATABASE MODEL MODIFY FILE

( NAME=modellog,FILENAME='D:\prod\modellog.LDF')

GO

sp_helpdb 'MSDB'

Alter DATABASE MSDB MODIFY FILE

( NAME=MSDBData,FILENAME='D:\prod\MSDBData.MDF')

GO

Alter DATABASE MSDB MODIFY FILE

( NAME=MSDBLog,FILENAME='D:\prod\MSDBLog.LDF')

GO

sp_helpdb 'TEMPDB'

Alter DATABASE TEMPDB MODIFY FILE

( NAME=tempdev,FILENAME='D:\prod\tempdb.MDF')

GO

Alter DATABASE TEMPDB MODIFY FILE

( NAME=templog,FILENAME='D:\prod\templog.LDF')

GO