You say that for the re-installation to put the master database anywhere I like and then I can use the "good" master database after.

If this it true, then I would...

If you restore over an existing database, what will remain is exactly whats in the backup you are using.

Everything will be overwritten.

If you want to backup only tables, then create the tables on a Filegroup. Then backup the Filegroup.

- good for a large size table.

If want just the table schema then...

This is what I have come up with and its a pretty good solution. This script creates linked servers and runs an extented procedure to check drive space.

I then...

I put a call into Microsoft for this because it applies to how/when we do our Ghost Images.

Microsoft said that only Installation, Master DB, Service Packs and Full Text catalogs...

are there any other major entries in the registry that SQL Server has for databases or database configurations?

Works now.

Had to run:

USE master

EXEC sp_serveroption 'SQL_STG1', 'rpc', 'on'

USE master

EXEC sp_serveroption 'SQL_STG1', 'rpc out', 'on'

Thanks!!!

figured it out.

I had to edit the registry and change the startup values.

(-d, -l, -e)

Those are great ideas. Thanks.

But I like where I am heading with creating one script that creates Linked Servers to all my boxes and returns the free drive space.

Any...

SQL1_DEV is a linked server.

This works fine:

SELECT *

FROM

SQL1_DEV.Master.dbo.sysdatabases

This has an error:

EXEC SQL1_DEV.Master.dbo.xp_fixeddrives

"Server: Msg 7411, Level 16, State 1, Line 1

Server 'SQL1_DEV' is not configured for RPC."

Any ideas?

ok.

Scenario:

C drive - O.S. binaries and minimal sql server binaries(COM & TOOLS folders)

E drive - all data and log files.(master, user db's, etc)

---

Hardware failure that lost the C: drive. Are...

So data files do not care about registry settings at all?

Does SQL Server make changes to the registry as time goes on? (Thus backing up the registry it is a...

So any registry changes that SQL Server did after the ghost image will not be there now.

This is not a problem?

The registry and data files will be out of sync.

...

"moving the DBs back into proper position"

- what do you mean here? how is this done?

Also, does SQL Server write entries to the registry after it is installed?

What do you mean by immediately?

Will the engine even start then?