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Asterisk Instead of a Number: A SQL Server Puzzle

March 6, 2018
Pinal Dave
SQL Puzzle
SQL Datatype, SQL Scripts, SQL Stored Procedure, SQL Variable

This puzzle assigns a nine digit number to a varchar(8) variable and gets an asterisk instead of a number. The answer is an implicit conversion that does not fit. The post tests which data types behave this way, which ones raise an error, and how to size the variable.

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Magnifying glass, document with red cross.

SQL SERVER – Error 1324. The folder path ‘Program Files’ contains an invalid character.

March 5, 2018
Pinal Dave
SQL Tips and Tricks
SQL Error Messages, SQL Server, SQL Server Cluster, SQL Server Installation

Error 1324. The folder path ‘Program Files’ contains an invalid character. Let us fix the error with the help of the solution in the blog.

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A stone basin drains free water while occupied space remains

How to Shrink TempDB Without SQL Server Restart? – Interview Question of the Week #163

March 4, 2018
Pinal Dave
SQL Interview Questions and Answers
Shrinking Database, SQL Scripts, SQL Server, SQL TempDB

A client ran the shrink command again and again, but TempDB would not get any smaller. Here is how to Shrink TempDB without a SQL Server restart.

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Tool window showing registry files.

SQL SERVER – The Automatically Saved Settings file NewSettings.vssettings Cannot be Found

March 3, 2018
Pinal Dave
SQL Tips and Tricks
Registry, SQL Error Messages, SQL Server, SQL Server Management Studio

After cleaning up some data from my user profile, when I launched SQL Server Management Studio 17.4, I got an error. related to automatically saved settings.

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Incorrect alias in INSERT statement.

SQL SERVER – Puzzle – How Does Table Qualifier Work in INSERT Statement?

March 2, 2018
Pinal Dave
SQL Puzzle
SQL Scripts, SQL Server, SQL Table Operation

You can use a table alias in SELECT just fine, but how does a Table Qualifier work in the column list of an INSERT statement? Try this short puzzle.

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SQL SERVER - Why SQL Server Service is Stuck in Starting / Change Pending State?

SQL SERVER – Why SQL Server Service is Stuck in Starting / Change Pending State?

March 1, 2018
Pinal Dave
SQL Tips and Tricks
SQL Error Messages, SQL Server, SQL Server Services, Starting SQL

A reader’s SQL Server service was stuck in Starting / Change Pending in Configuration Manager. Here is what the ERRORLOG showed in this variation and the fix.

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SQL Server feature pack.

SQL SERVER – How to Execute the Query Without Using Management Studio?

February 28, 2018
Pinal Dave
SQL Tips and Tricks
SQL Error Messages, SQL Server, SQL Server Management Studio, sqlcmd, Starting SQL

A client’s security team removed SQL Server Management Studio from the server. Here are simple ways for beginners to run a query without it.

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