With Microsoft SQL Server 6.0, you can create databases for distribution on removable media. You can distribute these databases on read-only removable media, such as CD-ROM, or you can distribute on writable removable media, such as floppy drives, WORM drives, or optical drives.
The removable media installation process copies a database device containing the system catalog tables and the transaction log onto the server's disk. This allows you to create or administer users, permissions, views, and stored procedures for the database, while keeping your data on read-only removable media.
Note After installing a database on removable media, do not attempt to modify (write to) the read-only data on the removable media.
Although the procedures presented in this section primarily describe the administration of databases and devices on removable media, some of the procedures that follow can also be used to administer normal databases and devices residing on fixed storage media.
To support databases on floppy disks, the minimum user database size can now be made as low as 1 MB. This allows a complete database to be created and used from most types of floppy disks. Note that the new default database size of 1 MB applies only to a new installation. Upgrading does not change the size of model. System tables reserve about 512K in a new user database, so with a newly created 1 MB database, only about 0.5 MB is available for data tables. Note that if you add objects to your model database, you may need to increase the default database size.
For more information, choose one of the following topics:
Creating a Removable Media Database
Certifying a Removable Media Database
Installing a Removable Media Database
Placing a Database Online or Offline
Stored Procedures Used for Removable Media Databases