Explanation of SQL Server Database Files

[Llyal]

When a database is created in SQL Server, 4 files are made:

(example)
DB_Data.DAT
DB_data.mdf
DB_Log.DAT
DB_log.ldf


What do each of these files contain? I can figure out that the main database is the DB_Data.DAT, but why is the transaction log a .DAT and why is there four files instead of two? etceterea.

Llyal

[Mark Lessard]

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Llyal at 2/22/00 4:31:38 PM

When a database is created in SQL Server, 4 files are made:

(example)
DB_Data.DAT
DB_data.mdf
DB_Log.DAT
DB_log.ldf


What do each of these files contain? I can figure out that the main database is the DB_Data.DAT, but why is the transaction log a .DAT and why is there four files instead of two? etceterea.

Llyal


Llyal did you upgrade from SQL 6.5 ? I think the .dat files are 6.5 data and log files. The .mdf and .ldf are SQL 7.0 data and log files.

[Mark Lessard]

------------
Llyal at 2/22/00 4:31:38 PM

When a database is created in SQL Server, 4 files are made:

(example)
DB_Data.DAT
DB_data.mdf
DB_Log.DAT
DB_log.ldf


What do each of these files contain? I can figure out that the main database is the DB_Data.DAT, but why is the transaction log a .DAT and why is there four files instead of two? etceterea.

Llyal


Llyal did you upgrade from SQL 6.5 ? I think the .dat files are 6.5 data and log files. The .mdf and .ldf are SQL 7.0 data and log files.

[llyal]

Yes, an upgrade was made; i guess i could discard those old files now. So basically the SQL server 7 just uses two files per database, a main file .mdf, and a log file .ldf.

Thanks for the insight!

Llyal



------------
Mark Lessard at 2/23/00 2:45:06 PM




------------
Llyal at 2/22/00 4:31:38 PM

When a database is created in SQL Server, 4 files are made:

(example)
DB_Data.DAT
DB_data.mdf
DB_Log.DAT
DB_log.ldf


What do each of these files contain? I can figure out that the main database is the DB_Data.DAT, but why is the transaction log a .DAT and why is there four files instead of two? etceterea.

Llyal


Llyal did you upgrade from SQL 6.5 ? I think the .dat files are 6.5 data and log files. The .mdf and .ldf are SQL 7.0 data and log files.