Backing Up Laptop

I use SQL Server on my laptop. Surprising, I'm sure.

However, in order to backup my local databases, I use a basic file copy method. (SyncToy and xcopy are examples of MicroSoft free/included utilities that do this)

In order to make a copy/backup of the databases I use, I first have to turn off SQL Server. This is because the basic file-copy utilities I use can't copy a file currently in use. A running instance of SQL Server automatically means there are DB files in use.

Therefore, it is necessary to kill all going SQL Server instances. This has a secondary benefit of reducing CPU overhead from the running SQL Server processes, and is useful while running the laptop on battery. Say, while writing blog posts on the couch after hours.

So, you need to kill all open processes.

The easiest way I've found to do this is

1. Press windows+R to get a "Run" window
2. Type "cmd" and press enter to get a command shell
1. Note that you may have to gain an administrator shell to do this...
2. Since I'm currently running enhanced permissions on my user account, YMMV
3. Type "NET START" to get the list of all currently running processes
4. Copy all SQL Server entries from the windowed results
1. Alternately, you can type something like
2. "NET START > C:\RUNNING_LIST.TXT"
3. This will generate a text file containing all the processes you're currently running.
5. No matter how you get your process list, you have to:
1. Get the list into a text file
2. Edit it so it doesn't contain any processes but SQL Server processes
6. For each SQL Server process listed, prepend the line with "NET STOP"

You should wind up with text that looks like this:

NET STOP "SQL Server Analysis Services (MSSQLSERVER)"
NET STOP "SQL Server Browser"
NET STOP "SQL Server Reporting Services (MSSQLSERVER)"
NET STOP "SQL Full-text Filter Daemon Launcher (BLANCO)"
NET STOP "SQL Full-text Filter Daemon Launcher (MSSQLSERVER)"
NET STOP "SQL Server (BLANCO)"
NET STOP "SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)"
NET STOP "SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)"
NET STOP "SQL Server VSS Writer"

Personally, I just put this into a file named KillSQL.cmd, and I run it right before I back up my PC.

Don't forget to make a file full of "NET START" commands to bring everything back to life again.

Lost my hibernate option

powercfg.exe /hibernate on

That's all it took to bring back Hibernate on my PC from the dead. 

WHY it disappeared as an option is another matter entirely.

What's Next?

Part of goal setting is deciding what's next.

This is true for people you lead, as well.

How many times have you seen a sudden drop in motivation or performance, yet when that same person or team is given self-directed time to accomplish things, they'll spend a disproportionate amount of time researching it?

I like to call this the "summer vacation planning method".

Most people put more time into planning their summer vacation than they do into planning

• Their families
• Their careers
• Their next step(s)

As leaders, we have an obligation to those counting on us to

1. Understand where they are in their goal-reaching progress, and
2. Help them identify the "next step" when they've reached a certain point in their progress.

I have found that 40%-50% completed is about where attention starts to fall off, and the next goal needs to be defined. This same goal will need to be sharpened, refined, and (potentially even) publicized around 85%-90% complete.

Tis the islands, mon

A new wallpaper for your work computer . . . .

http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/details/715/driftin%27.html

Indexing article on sqlservercentral

Indexes, Indexes, Indexes

He's got some good points. Interesting in that I'm wondering if you could schedule the pull down of the stats to a development laptop, for local analysis, and what that would do to the performance of the thing if you accidentally went some time period without downloading the stats. Think sine wave - one day, lots and lots of collected stats, and the next day, nothing.

Shouldn't have any impact, but could be interesting to test.

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Indexing/73872/

Go Army!

Another good resource for finding "Out Of Office" opportunities in the DC region is the Army Corps Of Engineers, Baltimore District:

http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Recreation/

Savage River Forest

If you live anywhere close to DC, and enjoy camping, you should check out this area of Western Maryland & Eastern West Virginia:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/savageriverforest.asp