REPLICATE treats zero copies differently from a negative count. I keep the source and requested count beside the result. Byte lengths and NULL flags reveal several blank-looking outcomes.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
Standard Settings for a New SQL Server Install
Review standard settings for a new SQL Server install, including memory, MAXDOP, tempdb, backups, and alerts before users depend on it.
SQL SERVER – 2005 – Database Table Partitioning Tutorial – How to Horizontal Partition Database Table
A simple Table Partitioning tutorial for SQL Server 2005 that shows, step by step, how to horizontally partition a database table across two filegroups.
SQL SERVER – 2005 – Introduction to Partitioning
A short introduction to partitioning in SQL Server 2005: very large tables and indexes are split into smaller parts by ranges, across filegroups, for performance.
Checking Every Database for Risky Settings
Find risky settings across every SQL Server database, including AUTO_SHRINK, AUTO_CLOSE, page verification, recovery model, and ownership.
SQLAuthority News – Fix : Remote Desktop Copy Paste Stop Working
My Remote Desktop copy paste stopped working both ways while I worked on a remote SQL Server. Restarting did not help, but the fix at the end of the post did.
SQL SERVER – Get a Row Per File of a Database as Stored in the Master Database
Each database has at least two files. This quick script on sys.master_files returns a row per file of a database, just as it is stored in master.
SQL Server slow? Let's fix it together in about four hours.
In my Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check, you share your screen, I guide you, and we fix your biggest performance troublemakers. No passwords. No remote access.
You keep every script, and the know-how to fix it yourself next time.
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My Practical Workshop has no PowerPoint, just live demos. My AI Enablement Workshop shows your team where AI saves hours, and where it quietly costs them.
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Who We Are
Pinal Dave is an SQL Server Performance Tuning Expert and independent consultant with over 24 years of hands-on experience. He holds a Masters of Science degree and numerous database certifications.
Pinal has authored 19 books and 125 Pluralsight courses. To freely share his knowledge and help others build their expertise, Pinal has also written more than 5,800 database tech articles on his blog at https://blog.sqlauthority.com.
Pinal is also a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1) and CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2).
Nupur Dave is a social media enthusiast and an independent consultant. She primarily focuses on the database domain, helping clients build short and long-term multi-channel campaigns to drive leads for their sales pipeline.
Shaivi Pinalkumar Dave is a book author and a women’s artistic gymnast.

