Created database at school but can't open it at home

Please help me.

I'm a college student working on a database project using MS SQL Server 2005 Express Edition.

The program (SQL SMSEE) is installed on both the computers in class and on two of my computers at home. The first installation resulted in the "remote connections" error. No matter what I do, I can't get the program to fully load. So I tried installing on another computer at home. The second installation went well. Didn't do anything different from the first installation, but any hoo....................

My 2-week old problem is this - I save my database that I do in class on my thumbdrive. Last class, I saved all the files that had my database's name on it on my thumbdrive--.mdf, .log, .bak, etc. On the second home computer, I cannot open the databases that I work on at school. Even my professor is stumped on this one.

Here is what I'm doing......

After I connect to the server, I right-click "Databases" then left-click "Restore Database".

In the "To database" box, I enter the name of the database, as I saved it at school.

In the "To a point in time" box, I leave the default "Most recent possible" entry.

I select "From device" as the location of backup and click the "..." button. The file is on my thumbdrive, so I click "Add" and select the location on my usb (with the .bak extension) and click OK.

I pick the most recent file checkbox and click "OK".

The green progress circle goes to 50% and then gets stuck. The database never opens and the Object Explorer shows the database name followed by "(Restoring...)". So if I try to do anything else with it, I get an error message stating the database in the middle of a restore and that I have to wait until its done. Well, of course it never finishes.

Please help me. Right now I am stuck doing duplicate work at home and at school and am making little to no progress. The final project is due on 26 March and right now I only have my tables, a few attributes and a couple of relationships. And I have a LOT more work to do.

Thanks.

i have more luck using the attach task than with restore --

not sure why -- but sounds like you have a need for speed so you might want to try using the attach task.

When you copied the files to your thumb drive was this a database backup or just a copy?

if its just a copy did you stop the sql engine before you made the copy (this is a "best practice")

then copy the .mdf and .ldf files

try using the attach task in smsee instead of restoring

1. copy the .mdf and .ldf files from your thumb drive to your computer.

2. open smsee and connect to a server --probably <yourcomputername>\SQLEXPRESS

3. in the object browser:

select the database node and right click

select the attach task on the context menu

4. an ATTACH DATABASE dialog will open -- click the add button

5. a LOCATE FILE... dialog will open -- drill down to the database.mdf file location and select it

and click OK on the LOCATE FILE dialog

6. the database details should be in the bottom of the ATTACH DATABASE dialog -- click OK

you should now have a node under the databases node for your attached database.

good luck

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I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

(in context, of course )

You have just saved me from days of mental anguish. I'm telling you, I only had a few strands of hair left.

Now I don't have to do double work any more and I actually have a shot at completing this project on time.

Thank you so VERY much. I wish I would have visited this forum sooner.

Gotta go.........plenty work to be done!

.........did I say THANK YOU?