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How Do I Backup and Restore My Windows Dedicated Server Databases?

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Last Updated: September 17, 2007 5:01 PM

The following procedures will work for both MSDE and MS SQL Server databases.

To Back Up Databases

  1. Remote desktop to your Windows dedicated server.
  2. Create a backup folder in a convenient location, like the one below:
    C:database_backup
  3. From the command line, run the following:
    osql -E
  4. At the numbered prompts, run the following commands to return the names of all existing databases:
    SELECT name FROM master.dbo.sysdatabases WHERE DBID > 4
    GO
  5. For each database you want to back up, run the following two commands, substituting the appropriate database name, database backup name, and backup folder:
    backup database [database name] to disk = 'c:[backup folder][database backup name].bak'
    GO

The backup database file(s) now reside in the specified folder.

To Restore Databases

  1. Remote desktop to your Windows dedicated server.
  2. From the command line, run the following:
    osql -E
  3. At the numbered prompts, run the following commands, substituting the appropriate database name, database backup name, and backup folder:
    restore database [database name] from disk = 'c:[backup folder][database backup name].bak' with replace, file=1, nounload, stats=10
    GO