How to change path of system databases on SQL 2000

Master database

To change the path of the master database on statup parameters of SQL Server instance:

  1. Launch  enterprise manager for SQL 2000.
  2. Right click on database instance and select properties.
  3. Click the Startup Parameters button.
  4. On Startup Parameters window set the paths for master database by changing the paths that are starting with -d and -l to a new file paths.
  5. Stop SQL Server service.
  6. Move the master database files to new file path.
  7. Start SQL Server service and the server should run with new master database file paths.
  8. If there are any problem on starting the service, make sure that the paths are correct.

Other System databases (model, msdb, tempdb)

  1. Determine the logical file name of the database files for the database by running command: 
    USE <dbname>
    GO
    EXEC sp_helpfile
    GO
  2. Change the file paths of the database by running the following command:
    USE master
    GO
    ALTER DATABASE <dbname>
    MODIFY FILE (NAME = <logical file name1> , FILENAME = ‘<new path1>’)
    GO
    ALTER DATABASE <dbname>
    MODIFY FILE (NAME = <logical file name2> , FILENAME = ‘<new path2>’)
    GO
  3. Stop SQL Server service.
  4. Move the databse files to new file paths.
  5. Start SQL Server service and the server .
  6. If there are any problem on starting the service, make sure that the paths are correct.