How to rename database in multi-user mode

Question

I am working on SQL SERVER 2008 & 2008 R2. How can I rename a database in multi-user mode? I am using sp_rename but it returns this error:

Msg 15225,

Answer 1

You can't use sp_rename to rename a database - the sp in question would be sp_renamedb. However, that is in line to be removed in a future version of SQL Server and the preferred method is:

ALTER DATABASE dbname MODIFY NAME = newdbname;

But you can't do this anyway without an exclusive lock on the database.

Answer 2

You can't rename a database while it is in use. Either wait for a maintenance window, or force the database to single user mode (which will kick everyone out):

USE [master];
GO
ALTER DATABASE foo SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;
GO
--EXEC sys.sp_renamedb @dbname = N'foo', @newname = N'bar';
ALTER DATABASE foo MODIFY NAME = bar; -- preferred way
GO
ALTER DATABASE bar SET MULTI_USER;

Answer 3

You can open sql server configuration manager and stop and start the service, this works for me with sql server 2008 and 2012 just fine.

Then rename the database right in the sql server management studio.

"Works for me"

Not really a "caveat" but say you want to restore the exact same database, you go into options and change the name of the mdf and ldf