SQL Server 2005 SP2 Readme - Junction Points For Data Files

Jasper Smith

2007-06-22 17:58:41 UTC

Assuming they are just standard mounted volumes created through Disk
Management then you're fine. We use mount points across all our SQL2005
clusters and SP2 works fine.
--
HTH,
Jasper Smith (SQL Server MVP)
http://www.sqldbatips.com
http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/sqldbatips

Post by Brandon
I noticed in the readme for SP2 the following text.
3.4.5 Use of NTFS Junction Points Not Supported for SQL Server Data Files
You cannot install SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 on an instance of SQL
Server 2005 that is configured to use an NTFS junction point to store SQL
Server data files. If you configure data files of an instance of SQL Server
2005 to be stored in an NTFS junction point that is created by using the
linld.exe utility, installation of this SQL Server service pack will fail.
Additionally, the NTFS junction point will be deleted after the installation.
Therefore, you will not be able to start the SQL Server service after the
installation. This issue occurs because Windows Installer removes the NTFS
junction point during installation of the SQL Server service pack.
This causes me some concern since I am storing my .mdf and .ldf files on
mounted volumes. Here's my structure.
C:\ (installed SQL Server 2005 Enterprise x64)
X:\
X:\data
X:\data\mdf (mounts to a volume on another hard drive)
X:\data\ldf (mounts to a volume on yet another hard drive)
This was done to create a simplified directory space to SQL Server and
myself but gain the performance benefits of keeping data and transaction log
files on different physical media.
According to the README, am I in trouble with this arrangement? Or, was it
referring only to the relocation of the data directories using the LINLD.EXE
tool and not external directories that I may have created and maintain?
Thanks in advance for your help!