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Louis Papaloizou
Asked: 2014-11-02 06:57:29 +0800 CST

Microsoft SQL Server Data Limit

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I am using a Microft SQL Express edition server limited to 10GB/database. The original database runs on a licenced server and it is ~15GB. I was given a small part of this database (last couple years of data) which should be well below 10GB. The .bak file is 6GB, I am assuming the DB itself is ~2.5-3GB. When I try to restore from the backup the MSSQL Management studio clearly sees that the .bak file is 6GB but still it says "Restore failed, resulting database would exceed you limit of 10GB/database".

Any ideas what is happening? I am confused.

My "minimal" .bak file resulted from cutting down (DELETE a few years of data) a copy of the original database.

sql-server

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Louis,

    Even though the file itself is only 6 GB, the database (when restored) would have a size LARGER than 10 GB. Ask whomever gave the backup to you to shrink the database size down to under 10 GB and make you another backup. Even if there isn't any data in the database, it can't have a size larger than 10 GB.

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  2. The .bak file is 6GB, I am assuming the DB itself is ~2.5-3GB.

    THat would mean that there is a NEGATIVE COMPRESSION and the backup is larger than the original. You seriously believe that? I have some land on the moon to sell to you.

    6GB means the database is larger than that. Can be 10, can be 10000gb - because the backup only has the pages that contain data, while the FILES (and the original file size is being restored AND is part of the check in Express) can mostly be empty.

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