MS SQL- import .mdf file ONLY?

Hello, I am a newbie to SQL (intermediate experience with Access and .asp), so please bear with me. My machine is running Windows ME (non-server environment), so I could only install the client tools (EM, QA etc) from the MS SQL 2000 Developer Edition, which seems to be all I need anyway. I have a bit of a unique situation in that I purchased a website script with the data (.mdf) and transaction log (.ldf) files already complete. It seems that in order to initially transfer this database to Discountasp.net's SQL Server, I need to load the entire database from a server environment, which is not possible on Windows ME. I just need to get my local .mdf file (which I already have) to the remote server, then (I think?) I can administer everything thru QA. Is there any way to transfer the .mdf file from a local drive on my machine without having to upgrade to a server environment (W2K etc)? I see options to transfer local files such as Access, Excel, even text files etc to SQL Server, but no options for just .mdf or .ldf files. Any help is appreciated ... thanks! Bill

 

I also have an .sql file, I think they assumed I was running my own server with admin privileges etc. Can I can execute the .sql file and transfer to discountasp.net's server via the client tools I already have installed (Query Analyser/ EM)? Or would I need to upgrade to a server environment such as w2K? (I'm current running Windows ME)... thanks

quote:Originally posted by bruce

What website script would give your a mdf file? That's pretty crazy. MDF restoration is not as simple as most people think because mdf file contains login / ownership / permission / db specific information. it is intended to restore DB on the same server that the backup was created. Restoration on another machine takes some work. If you are not SQL expert, you could have a hard time restoring the file to your machine (even when you have SQL)

I would go ask the developer to generate a SQL script for you.

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The .sql file is just a text file with the sql commands that you can load in Query Analyzer (of the MS SQL Client Tools) and execute the script. It creates the tables, indexes, stored procedures, etc... for you.

As Bruce mentioned in another post, make sure you comment the create database/user statements.