First sample size - the more complete information the better for the optimizer meaning yes, more efficient plans. However there is a point of time vs. size. My largest database...

Here's one of the MS links for a stored procedure version ...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;312839

If you execute UPDATE STATISTICS for a table you need to execute sp_recompile for the table. If you do not then the execution plan(s) of the stored procedures that reference...

Okay, I have to ask, since we know the exact time of te shutdown from the System log, have you checked the Security log to see who/shat signed on just...

It sounds as though you are a 'victim' of accepting 'defaults' ... RGR'us statement of the server loading all it can is pretty...

Cool site ... just spent a bit of time there ...

Prior to that you need to setup a linked server to use a 4 part objectname. I believe that OPENQUERY does not have that prerequisite. Check out BOL for:

Linked Server

OPENQUERY

This is possible. As far as I know whether or not things are 'clustered' it's still just replication. However there are most probably extra 'nuances' involved dependent on your replication...

Do you have a maintenance window for scheduled reboots ? Are there any scheduled tasks ? Have you checked the System Event log to see if the server is being...

Locking is SQL Server's way of making sure that the data maintains it's 'integrity' - only one person/process can update one thing at a time. Locking is not an issue...

Yes you can update the sysdevices table which is not a reccomended practice. However it's almost as easy to write a query against sysdevices to build a query to drop/add...

Disabling 'cahche hit' "stuff" sounds cavalier to me. The primary performance monitoring on a server wide basis usually starts there. I'd probably only think about turning on this flag if...

I second the "uugghh ........ " wholeheartedly !

Been using a CDOSYS SMTP mail stored procedure for years without incident.

You can also perform the DBCC UPDATEUSAGE while executing sp_spaceused as well:

exec sp_spaceused  your_tablename, @updateusage='true'

Yes Phil, remote execution for quite a few things. I have a number of sp's that are installed on initial server build. error log scanning, transaction log truncation at a threshhold...