Posted by DickChristoph on 03/02/06 01:53

Hi Tim

Why don't you ask them to run a backup of the database(s) in question to a
file and then restore the databases on your end. If the SQL Server 2005
developer version has a Enterprise Manager this is pretty easy to do. If not
read Books Online about the Restore Command.

BTW I don't know if you can attach an MDF that hasn't been previously
detached (using sp_detach_db). Your customers almost certainly won't want to
detach their open databases just to send them to you, whereas a full backup
can be run on a open database. I suspect just doing a Copy of an open MDF
may give you a file you can't use in any way.

See books online about sp_attach_db and sp_detach_db and my favorite
sp_attach_single_file_db (which attaches an MDF without needing the LDF).

For Example:

EXEC sp_attach_single_file_db @dbname = 'pubs',
@physname = 'c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Data\pubs.mdf'

You might try this with the file(s) you have and see if if works.

--
-Dick Christoph
"Tim" <tpl10@cornell.edu> wrote in message
news:du4p2u$kig$1@ruby.cit.cornell.edu...
> Hello,
> We do not run SQL Server in our shop, but I'm starting to be tasked with
> analyzing SQL Server databases from outside shops. I will need to open
> .MDF files sent to me. Can I do this using SQL Server 2005 Developer
> version? Or do we have to spring for the Workgroup version?
> Thanks, in advance, for your help.
> T

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