⟩ Where is my database stored on the hard disk in MS SQL Server?
If a database is created with simple CREATE DATABASE statement, the server will create two database files on the hard disk to store data and configuration information about that data bases:
* database_name.mdf - SQL Server Database Primary Data File
* database_name_log.ldf - SQL Server Database Transaction Log File
To find out the location of database files, you can query the "sys.database_files" view as shown in this tutorial example:
USE GlobalGuideLineDatabase
GO
SELECT type_desc, physical_name, size
FROM sys.database_files
GO
type_desc physical_name size
ROWS c:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server
MSSQL.1MSSQLDATAGlobalGuideLineDatabase.mdf 152
LOG c:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL Server
MSSQL.1MSSQLDATAGlobalGuideLineDatabase_log.LDF 63
Go verify these two files with Windows Explorer.
