SQL Server 2003 Full!

Roger Wright

We have a 3rd party billing app for storing meter readings that uses a version of SQL Server 2003 for saving the data. Over the weekend it reached its limit - 4 or 5 GB - and can no longer accept new data. The vendor claims that it's not possible to free up space by deleting old records, but I find it hard to believe that we can't even execute a query to delete old records manually. Is this true? Does SS2003 lock everything once it hit its hard-coded limit?

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Luc Pattyn

Roger Wright wrote:

The vendor claims that it's not possible to free up space by deleting old records

That is hard to believe; you may not be able to shrink the files, but most of the internal space must become available for reuse within the database. I'm no DB expert, and have never "filled" a database before; but whatever database you use, this is bound to work: - stop the application - create backup 1 - remove garbage and old records no longer needed - create backup 2 and now either compact database or, harder but my preferred way: - delete database - create new database - populate from backup 2 :)

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T M Gray

If there is no room to create the log of the transaction then you can't execute any transactions that would require logging (with is everything be default). So you would have to do some more drastic things like truncating tables using the with nolog hint to prevent logging. Or you free up space in the transaction log. Shrinking Transaction log[^] It isn't from Metretek is it? If so, do they still use the ridiculous 60 hourly columns table format for meter reads

Roger Wright

Nope - It's Hunt Technologies/Landis & Gyr Command Center. When it was TurtleWare I could make it jump through hoops on command, but since the upgrade I've been kept away from the details. It would have been nice of them to include a warning about the space remaining in the software they provided...

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

Roger Wright

I think you're right, but unfortunately I can't get access to the DB myself, and the others who have access know nothing about databases except how to follow instructions from a phone support desk. I suspect that it would take me about 20 minutes to solve this if they'd let me in. I actually found it using Management Studio from my desk, but it won't let me log in... :sigh:

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

Luc Pattyn

If you can't do anything about it, it is not your problem. Whatever becomes impossible due to the situation will result in a consistent "can't do that due to database problems" reply. It will sort itself out eventually. Even management gets in check with reality on occasion. :)

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Mycroft Holmes

Roger Wright wrote:

It would have been nice of them to include a warning about the space remaining in the software they provided...

It's actually called gross incompetence and should be punished - terminally.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

Roger Wright

I agree, but we already have rather a lot invested in meters, and these systems are very proprietary; we can't change vendors without replacing every electric meter in the system.

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

_Damian S_

Roger Wright wrote:

Does SS2003 lock everything once it hit its hard-coded limit?

SQL Server - NO. SQL Server Express/CE/MSDE - YES (at 4 gig). Perhaps you need to migrate from SQL Server Express to the full version. ;-)

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Roger Wright

That seems to be what's installed, since it has locked itself. Tech Support claims to have a fix, but coincidentally, we just received a new server and they want to install it there. Since we have to read meters on Thursday, this might get interesting. Happily, I'm on vacation next week so it won't be my problem. :-D

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"