Glenn,

If you're using SQL 2000, you should be able to use the Data Transformation Services capability of SQL to create a DTS package which will copy the data. In Enterprise Manager, go to Action/All Tasks/Export Data. That will fire the DTS Import/Export Wizard which should easily handle your needs.

You'll need to be sure that your machine can see and log into both servers (choosing Action\New SQL Server Registration when you're selected to SQL Server Group in Enterprise Manager should take care of this). We perform this operation regularly without ANY issues whatsoever.

However, if you're using either version 7.0 or you don't (for some reason I can't imagine) want to use a DTS package to copy the data between the two servers, this is the basic idea (Mike Levy/et al, please correct me if I miss anything)(g):

1) Execute the SP_DETACH_DB stored procedure on each database on your current server. You may need to execute the SP_REMOVEDBREPLICATION stored procedure as well if you have any databases enabled for replication.
2) Log on to the machine containing SQL Server as an administrator.
3) Navigate to the directory containing the data files (this location was specified when you installed SQL Server -- most likely in the MsSql7\Data folder in the case of SQL 7.0).
4) Copy the data files to another location of your choosing.
5) Install SQL Server on the new box.
6) Copy the previously saved data files to the Data folder on the new box.
7) Execute the SP_ATTACH_DB stored procedure to attach the database to the new server. If you have more than 16 databases, you can use CREATE DATABASE with the FOR ATTACH clause instead.

You may also want to check out SP_ATTACH_SINGLE_FILE_DB along with the above named SPROCs in the BOL.

HTH.

>We installed SQL server on a machine on our network with the intention of only prototyping a system. Unfortunately we bacame invested in the data which resides on this server. We would like to set up another machine as the Server and move all the databases to this new machine. After doing this we will uninstall SQL Server fromthe first machine. Could someone detail the steps required to accomplish these ( probably quite simple) tasks?
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>Thanks
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>Glenn