MDF File Still Exists After DROP TABLE

[Butaambala]

Hello,

Using Enterprise Manager, I deleted from my database the only table
that contained records (Right-Click on Table, Choose "Delete Table").
My expectation was that the LARGE .mdf file would be reduced to minimal
size (at least as small as the Northwind MDF). However, it's still 4+
Gig in size!! (Northwind is 2.62 MB). This is a problem, bc I deleted
the table in order to recapture hard drive space.

NOTE: I already tried using Shrink Database in EM. This significantly
reduced the size of the .mdf file from its original (i.e. pre-delete)
size of 38 Gig to present size of 4 Gig.

What can I do to further reduce the size of the MDF file?

Thank you.

[Erland Sommarskog]

Butaambala (br*******@yahoo.com) writes:

Using Enterprise Manager, I deleted from my database the only table
that contained records (Right-Click on Table, Choose "Delete Table").
My expectation was that the LARGE .mdf file would be reduced to minimal
size (at least as small as the Northwind MDF). However, it's still 4+
Gig in size!! (Northwind is 2.62 MB). This is a problem, bc I deleted
the table in order to recapture hard drive space.

NOTE: I already tried using Shrink Database in EM. This significantly
reduced the size of the .mdf file from its original (i.e. pre-delete)
size of 38 Gig to present size of 4 Gig.

What can I do to further reduce the size of the MDF file?

I suggest that you look up DBCC SHRINKFILE in Books Online and try the
various options. I have been quite successful with giving a target size.
--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, es****@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server SP3 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/techinf...2000/books.asp