INTRODUCTION
This article describes how to move a Microsoft Dynamics NAV database that consists of multiple database files to a new location. Additionally, this article describes how to open a multifile Microsoft Dynamics NAV database.
More Information
To improve performance, we recommend that you separate a Microsoft Dynamics NAV database into multiple database files that are spread over multiple physical discs.
Each file in a Microsoft Dynamics NAV database that consists of multiple files has a different file name. However, the database appears as one logical file, and the name of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database is the name of the first database file. The first database file is the primary database file. The primary database file points to the other database files. The primary database file is the file that is selected when you open the database or refer to the database in other ways, such as when you make a backup of the database.
How to move the database
To move a multifile Microsoft Dynamics NAV database, follow these steps:
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Make a backup of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database.
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Stop the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database server.
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Move the database files to the new location.
How to open the database
The primary database file has a pointer to the other database files. When you move a multifile Microsoft Dynamics NAV database, the pointer will be incorrect. Therefore, you must select all database files the first time that you open the multifile database after the database has been moved.
When you open a database from a Microsoft Dynamics NAV client, you use the Open Database dialog box. In the Open Database dialog box, you can browse and point only to a single database file. However, you can open multiple database files by concatenating the database files. To concatenate the database files, use the plus sign (+) when you make the selection to open the database.
To open a multifile database after the files have been moved to a new location, follow these steps:
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Start Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
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On the File menu, point to Database, and then click Open. The Open Database dialog box opens.
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In the Database Name field, type the following:
X:\DBFile1.fdb+X:\DBFile2.fdb+ … +X:\DBFileN.fdbThe Microsoft Dynamics NAV database files are selected.
Note Replace "X:\DBFileN.fdb" with the full path of the selected database file. The placeholder N represents the number of database files. -
Click OK.
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Close the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client.
The Microsoft Dynamics NAV database header is updated with the new database partition file locations.
Note In step 3, you can use the command prompt instead of selecting the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database files from the Open Database dialog box. To do this, at the command prompt, browse to the directory in which the Microsoft Dynamics NAV client is installed, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
Fin.exe database= X:\DBFile1.fdb+X:\DBFile2.fdb+ … +X:\DBFileN.fdbNote Replace "X:\DBFileN.fdb" with the full path of the selected database file. The placeholder N represents the number of database files.
