MSDE and clustered indexes.

We have this weird problem with our customers using MSDE. They keep running
up against the 2 gig size limit and their database stops functioning because
it can't allocate any more space. But if you examine the database, 75% of
the allocated space is unused. It can't be recovered by shrinking the
database. The only way we can reduce the database size is to copy all the
data into a temporary database, delete it from the original and then
re-insert in the original. Yesterday we did this and a customer's database
was reduced to 528 MB from 1.913 GB. We run a weely job that shrinks and
re-indexes everything but it doesn't have any effect on this problem. I
suspect that it has something to do with the fact that there are no
clustered indexes on any of the table so the re-index job is not doing
anything. But maybe my understanding of this is inaccurate. Is this problem
because of the lack of clustered indexes?If there are no clustered indexes, the table is essentially a "heap". Data
will be appended at the end. If the application delete large amounts of dat
a
and re-inserts it, the most likely be large gaps in the middle.
Objects such as triggers can cause "delete/insert" pairs instead of
"in-place" updates, fill-factor can be a potential cause, etc. Clustered
indexes may not help if the natural key is ever-increasing, since holes will
still exist after large deletes. Non-clustered indexes may help
space-reclamation.
Find out what type of activity is occuring and take appropriate action.
"Bob Castleman" wrote:

> We have this weird problem with our customers using MSDE. They keep runnin
g
> up against the 2 gig size limit and their database stops functioning becau
se
> it can't allocate any more space. But if you examine the database, 75% of
> the allocated space is unused. It can't be recovered by shrinking the
> database. The only way we can reduce the database size is to copy all the
> data into a temporary database, delete it from the original and then
> re-insert in the original. Yesterday we did this and a customer's database
> was reduced to 528 MB from 1.913 GB. We run a weely job that shrinks and
> re-indexes everything but it doesn't have any effect on this problem. I
> suspect that it has something to do with the fact that there are no
> clustered indexes on any of the table so the re-index job is not doing
> anything. But maybe my understanding of this is inaccurate. Is this proble
m
> because of the lack of clustered indexes?
>
>|||Any new devolepments with this issue, where the clustered indexes an issue o
r not? Anyone had a case like this?
Thanks.

MSDE 2GB Limit

Hi
A Client has an MSDE install - checked by running @.@.version (clearly
says developer edition in the result text).
However the size of the data file is over 3GB, even allowing for empty
spaces the amount of data far exceeds 2GB. Pls explain?
The database was filled by regular insert statements.
Am 31 Oct 2005 04:14:49 -0800 schrieb yitzak:

> Hi
> A Client has an MSDE install - checked by running @.@.version (clearly
> says developer edition in the result text).
> However the size of the data file is over 3GB, even allowing for empty
> spaces the amount of data far exceeds 2GB. Pls explain?
> The database was filled by regular insert statements.
MSDE always shows "Desktop Engine" and not "Developer Edition"!
bye,
Helmut

MSDE 2BG limit - for just the data file?

Hi -
I'm looking at an archive strategy for an MSDE database.
In ref to the 2GB "database size" limit: anyone know if
this applies to the log file size + data file size, or
just to the data file size?
I need to figure out the point at which archiving needs
to kick in and trim down an in-production database.
Thanks!
Andy
hi Andy,
Andy wrote:
> Hi -
> I'm looking at an archive strategy for an MSDE database.
> In ref to the 2GB "database size" limit: anyone know if
> this applies to the log file size + data file size, or
> just to the data file size?
> I need to figure out the point at which archiving needs
> to kick in and trim down an in-production database.
> Thanks!
> Andy
the 2gb limit only applies to the sum of data files, including primary
(.Mdf) and all eventual secondary (.Ndf) files...
Andrea Montanari (Microsoft MVP - SQL Server)
http://www.asql.biz/DbaMgr.shtmhttp://italy.mvps.org
DbaMgr2k ver 0.10.0 - DbaMgr ver 0.56.0
(my vb6+sql-dmo little try to provide MS MSDE 1.0 and MSDE 2000 a visual
interface)
-- remove DMO to reply
|||Great, thanks Andrea!
|||Hi
2Gb for the data file, per database.
You could have more than one database.....
Regards
Mike Epprecht, Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Zurich, Switzerland
IM: mike@.epprecht.net
MVP Program: http://www.microsoft.com/mvp
Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/epprecht/
"Andy" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0dbd01c5092b$ac4a6e90$a601280a@.phx.gbl...
> Hi -
> I'm looking at an archive strategy for an MSDE database.
> In ref to the 2GB "database size" limit: anyone know if
> this applies to the log file size + data file size, or
> just to the data file size?
> I need to figure out the point at which archiving needs
> to kick in and trim down an in-production database.
> Thanks!
> Andy

MSDE

I looking for some guidance here. I have database which has exceeded the 2 gig limit. I deleted some old tables in an attempt to acquire some space. This worked out. However when I look at the size of my *.mdf it still appears in excess of the 2 gigs . I know this isn't true since I deleted 500 megs of stuff. How do i reclaim the space (get the file size to report correctly) or do I need to even worry about it.

AndyYou might try first backing up the database and then running the "Shrink" command. In Enterprise Manager Select the database, right click and select "Shrink..." from the list of commands. If you don't have Enterprise Manager you can try this command through osql or equivalent.

DBCC SHRINKDATABASE ([YourDatabaseName], 0)

|||Thanks for your reply and help. I was just about to attempt it when I realized from reading another article on the subject than MSDE dynamically recalculates and adjusts files and indices. Turns out all I had to do was be patient and it took care of itself. This apparently is different functionality from the full blown version of SQL2000. Anyhow, thanks
Andy