now I'm really confused. I was able to start in recovery mode from a command prompt

net start mssql$instancename /f /t3608

it did not create the tempdb files

I followed this article:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345408.aspx

It seemed easy. alter Database to modify file locations.

move physical files and restart the Services..

I checked the started parameters for the Service.. seems ok.

This is...

I gave my domain account that starts the services Full control on each of the Volumes that I moved my files to. I checked down to the file level...

Thanks.. so it sounds like their requirements are all the defaults when you install SQL Server 2005???

I found the problem. When the infrastructure guys copied DISK1 and DISK2 down to the Server, they unzipped them into the same installation folder. I think some...

I never get the license screen either!!!

ok. Here we go again. they got my Servers built yesterday and here I am on a saturday doing the installs 🙂

I ran SQL SERVER...

i finally killed the setup process for sp4 and tried again.. it's still hanging at 'preparing to copy files..'

any ideas? anyone?

You do need to start the SQL Server with a Domain account that has access to the Network share that you want to back up to. then when you...

awesome! Thanks for all of the good stuff! I've got A starting point, some reading to do and some serious questions to ask

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks MUCH!!!!!!

This may sound stupid but here goes.... I copied this from the 2005 sp2 download page...

System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems: Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; Windows Server 2003...

Thanks everyone for the replies. I ended up:

5 GB E:\SQL Server install

220 GB F:\Datafiles

100 GB G:\Logfiles

75 GB H:\SQL Server...

Still kind of confused on this.

After I create the Role and give the role appropriate access to the database, I would then do the following for existing users: modify...

you guys are awesome !!! Thank you!