"Loane Sharp" <look_sharp_not@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eQFtg6T9FHA.1276@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Hi there
>
> I use DTS to import data into a SQL Server database for archive purposes.
> After I do a DTS import, it can happen that I have, say, a 1GB .MDF file
> and a 4GB .LDF file. I then backup the database, selecting the option to
> remove inactive entries from the transaction log, but this doesn't make
> any difference to the size of either file. In the interests of storage, I
> need to get rid of the 4GB .LDF file. If, after the backup completes, what
> would happen if I detached the database, deleted the .LDF file, and then
> stored only the .MDF file for archive purposes? Would I be losing
> something?
>
> Best regards
> Loane
>

> If you are not using the capabilities of the log for restoration purposes
> you should place the database into SIMPLE recovery mode and there will be
> no need to worry about the log in regards to backups, just the db backup.
> you can shrink the log file with DBCC SHRINKFILE to get it to a manageable
> size. Then if it is in SIMPLE mode it will not continue to grow and grow
> as it is now.
>
>> I use DTS to import data into a SQL Server database for archive purposes.
>> After I do a DTS import, it can happen that I have, say, a 1GB .MDF file
>> and a 4GB .LDF file. I then backup the database, selecting the option to
>> remove inactive entries from the transaction log, but this doesn't make
>> any difference to the size of either file. In the interests of storage, I
>> need to get rid of the 4GB .LDF file. If, after the backup completes,
>> what would happen if I detached the database, deleted the .LDF file, and
>> then stored only the .MDF file for archive purposes? Would I be losing
>> something?