As a SQL Server user, you may have come across questions regarding the file size limits in SQL Server Express Edition. In this blog post, we will address some frequently asked questions to help clarify any doubts you may have.
What is the size limit in SQL Server Express Edition?
The size limit in SQL Server Express Edition depends on the version:
- SQL 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE) has a limit of 2 GB data file(s) size.
- SQL 2005 Express Edition has a limit of 4 GB data file(s) size.
- SQL 2008, SQL 2008 R2, SQL 2012, and SQL 2014 Express Edition have a limit of 10 GB data file(s) size.
What happens if I exceed the data size limits?
If you exceed the data size limits mentioned above, you are likely to encounter errors. Here are two common errors you may encounter:
- CREATE DATABASE or ALTER DATABASE failed because the resulting cumulative database size would exceed your licensed limit of 10240 MB per database. The size mentioned in the error message depends on the limit of the specific SQL Server Express Edition version.
- In the ERRORLOG, you may see errors such as “Could not allocate space for object ‘TableName’.’IndexName’ in database ‘DatabaseName’ because the ‘PRIMARY’ filegroup is full. Create disk space by deleting unneeded files, dropping objects in the filegroup, adding additional files to the filegroup, or setting autogrowth on for existing files in the filegroup.”
Is the size limit per instance or per database?
The size limit is per database. If a database consists of multiple data files, the limit applies to the total size of all data files within that single database.
Can I have multiple databases of 10 GB each in SQL Server 2014?
Yes, you can have multiple databases of 10 GB each in SQL Server 2014. The size limit applies to each individual database’s data files.
Does the size limit include the Transaction Log (LDF) file?
No, the size limit only applies to data files and does not include the Transaction Log (LDF) file.
Does the size limit include the Filestream file container?
No, the size limit only applies to data files and does not include the Filestream file container.
Is there any workaround to increase the limit?
Unfortunately, there is no direct workaround to increase the file size limitation in SQL Server Express Edition. However, since Filestream is not part of the limit, you can move the blob data to a Filestream file to free up space in the data files.
Will my database become unusable if I exceed the size limit?
No, your database will still be usable. However, if you try to add new data that requires an increase in file size, it will fail with the error mentioned earlier. SELECT statements can still be executed on the database.
What if I want to upgrade to the full version of SQL Server from SQL Express?
If you wish to upgrade from SQL Express to the full version of SQL Server, you can use the “Edition Upgrade” feature. The steps for upgrading are similar to those for upgrading from the Evaluation Edition. You can refer to the blog post “SQL SERVER – Evaluation Period Has Expired – How to Activate SQL Server?” for more information.
These are some of the common questions regarding SQL Server Express Edition and its file size limits. If you have any specific queries or would like to see additional FAQs in this area, please let us know in the comments section. We would be more than happy to expand the FAQ list to address your concerns.
Thank you for reading!