Summary

When Microsoft SQL Server: Desktop Edition creates new databases, it places them in its default data location. By default, this is C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$InstanceName\Data. (InstanceName is the name of your MSDE instance; for databases associated with Laserfiche, this will generally be Laserfiche.) MSDE will place both the main and expansion databases in this location. If you move your MSDE database to another location, you may encounter problems, since MSDE will still create new expansion databases in the original, default location. This article describes the method for changing the default database location so that new expansion databases will be created in the new location.

Resolution

There are two methods of changing the default data location:

• Use Enterprise Manager
• Manually edit the registry

To change the default data location for MSDE using Enterprise Manager

1. Open Enterprise Manager.
2. Expand Microsoft SQL Servers.
3. Expand SQL Server Group.
4. Select your SQL Server.
5. From the Action menu, select Properties.
6. Select the Database Settings tab.
7. In the New database default location section, type the new location into the Default data directory and Default log directory options.
8. Click OK.

To change the default data location for MSDE by modifying the registry

1. From the Start menu, select Run.
2. Type the following and press ENTER:

   regedt32

3. Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
4. Expand SOFTWARE.
5. Expand Microsoft.
6. Expand Microsoft SQL Server.
7. Expand the MSDE instance associated with Laserfiche. In most cases, this will be LASERFICHE; it may vary if you installed Laserfiche with an instance of MSDE that has a different name.
8. Expand MSSQLServer.
9. From the Edit menu, select New and then String value.
10. Name the new string "DefaultData."
11. From the Edit menu, select Modify.
12. Set the string's value to the location at which you want MSDE to create new databases.
13. From the Edit menu, select New and then String value.
14. Name the new string "DefaultLog."
15. From the Edit menu, select Modify.
16. Set the string's value to the location at which you want MSDE to create the transaction logs for new databases.
17. Restart your MSDE service:
    1. Click Start, navigate to Settings, Control Panel, Administrative Tools and select Services.
    2. Scroll down and select MSSQL$InstanceName, where InstanceName is the name of your MSDE instance (usually Laserfiche).
    3. From the Action menu, select Restart.