alter table and logging

I just did an alter table alter column on a test 7.0 database to change a
non-indexed, non-primary key column of char(2) to a varchar(100). The table
was about a 1G and it logged the whole thing. I guess that's not too
surprising.
Is the only way around this to create a brand new column and then work with
the new column instead?You are correct. The transaction log must remember the exact actions
taken by all users/roles in a database in order to perform a proper
recovery. You could do a SELECT INTO and make sure SELECT INTO/BULK
COPY is enabled at the database level and that will not be logged.
Shahryar
CLM wrote:

>I just did an alter table alter column on a test 7.0 database to change a
>non-indexed, non-primary key column of char(2) to a varchar(100). The tabl
e
>was about a 1G and it logged the whole thing. I guess that's not too
>surprising.
>Is the only way around this to create a brand new column and then work with
>the new column instead?
>
Shahryar G. Hashemi | Sr. DBA Consultant
InfoSpace, Inc.
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