Jeff Moden (12/8/2013)
Since the files that I'd be rebuilding the Clustered Index on would not have any modifications or new inserts in progress, it might just work if I apply it immediately after each index rebuild on the small partition file.
It won't, because the new index will be at the end of the file and the empty space at the beginning. Hence why I suggested rebuild *twice*, then the second rebuild should, hopefully reuse the space that the index was initially in, leaving free space at the end of the file which can be truncated.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability