Question

I have an .mdf file on my local box.

I have SQL Server 2008 Express and SQL Management Studio 2008 Express installed on my local box.

How in the world do I import this .mdf file as a new database into my SQL Server?

This seems like a ridiculously common task that must be performed thousands of times a day across the globe, and I cannot figure out how to do it in Management Studio Express.

What am I missing?

Answer 1

See: How to: Attach a Database File to SQL Server Express

Login to the database via sqlcmd:

sqlcmd -S Server\Instance

And then issue the commands:

USE [master]
GO
CREATE DATABASE [database_name] ON 
( FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Data\<database name>.mdf' ),
( FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Data\<database name>.ldf' )
 FOR ATTACH ;
GO