Which is faster, INSERT INTO SELECT or SELECT INTO? A client moving large data between tables asked me, and here is what we found when we tested both.
SQL SERVER – Unable to Remove Replication Publication – Could not Delete the Subscription at Subscriber ‘SubServer’ in Database ‘SubDB’
On my broken replication lab, removing a publication failed with: Could not delete the subscription at Subscriber ‘SubServer’. Here is the command that fixed it.
Huge Transaction Log File in SQL Server: Find the Cause
A huge transaction log file has a named reason in log_reuse_wait_desc. This post builds a small demo database, reads that reason, backs up the log and finds the open transaction that holds it. It ends with a one time shrink and a safe growth step.
SQL SERVER – Error: 17300 – The Error is Printed in Terse Mode Because There was Error During Formatting
SQL SERVER – Error: 17300 – The Error is Printed in Terse Mode Because There was Error During Formatting. Let us fix that in this blog.
Random Password Procedure in SQL Server with CRYPT_GEN_RANDOM
A random password procedure for SQL Server should use CRYPT_GEN_RANDOM, skip lookalike characters and guarantee every kind of character. This post builds one with a length and character switches, then tests 1,000 passwords. It also covers errors and safe handling.
Decoding wait_resource: From a KEY or PAGE Lock to the Table
Decode wait_resource for blocked requests, map KEY and PAGE locks to objects, and keep undocumented row-hash checks on test copies.
SELECT COUNT Without FROM Returns 1, Not an Error
A SELECT COUNT without FROM does not fail in T-SQL. It returns 1, because the table name after COUNT(*) becomes a column alias. This post shows the typo, the other silent mistakes that work the same way, and the habits that make them fail loudly.