How to Move Master Database to a New Location in SQL Cluster

Posted in: Microsoft SQL Server, Technical Track

Recently, we had a situation where a customer asked us to move Master Database from Local Drive to SAN drive. I have outlined the steps for the task:

Moving Master in SQL Server Cluster
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    1. Connect to the server
    2. Open Configuration Manager -> SQL Server Service
    3. Right click and select Properties
    4. Click on the Startup Parameter
    5. Remove startup parameter (the highlighted one)
         -dS:\SqlData\master.mdf
         -eG:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Log\ErrorLog
         -lS:\SqlData\mastlog.ldf
  1. Add new startup parameters with new values (per your configuration)
  2. Check and confirm which node is active
  3. PAUSE current PASSIVE node  to avoid fail-over
  4. Take SQL Server resources offline, i.e. SQL Server, SQL Agent, MSDTC, SQLCLUSTER Name (Do not take SQL Cluster IP Offline.)
  5. Copy MASTER.MDF and MASTLOG.LDF to NEW Location ( S:\SQLDATA, but yours could be different)
  6. Log into Cluster Administrator and bring SQL Server Resources online
  7. Resume current PASSIVE Node
-dS:\SqlData\master.mdf
-eG:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL\Log\ErrorLog
-lS:\SqlData\mastlog.ldf
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About the Author

Data Platform Consultant
I am a Database Administrator by profession, and a student at a university called life by heart. I am passionate about SQL Server, photography, reading and sharing. Currently, I'm Data Platform Consultant @Pythian. I have been a Microsoft SQL Server MVP for four years, and a published author of the book - SQL Server 2008 High Availability. Keep in touch with me on twitter @hemantgirig

4 Comments. Leave new

SQL Server # Moving MASTER database in cluster environment ~ SQL Server Citation - SQL Blog by Hemantgiri S. Goswami, SQL MVP
December 24, 2012 10:40 pm

[…] now!!! – Regards,Hemantgiri S. Goswami (https://www.sql-server-citation.com )Cross posting: https://www.pythian.com/news/35829/moving-master-database-to-new-location-in-sql-cluster/ var linkwithin_site_id = […]

Reply
Jim Johnston
May 3, 2013 4:33 pm

So, no changes to the passive side of the cluster? the changes are all carried over to the passive node?

Reply

Yes, it will carried over as SQL Server would be a shared across both nodes.

Thanks
Hemantgiri

Reply

Hi,

I have a two node sqlcluster 2008R2 on server2012, and security update for sqlserver failed because the system database’s where placed in the cluster disk (D:\).

I am thinking of two ways to get this fixed:

1. Move the system databases to local C:\ on both nodes so i can install the patches without downtime.
2. Use a mount point and shared it b/w both the nodes and place the systems database there, that way the path will remain the same.

Please advice.

Regards,
Mrudul

Reply

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