sys.xp_delete_files and ‘allow filesystem enumeration’: two new undocumented items in SQL Server 2019

sys.xp_delete_files and 'allow filesystem enumeration': two new undocumented items in SQL Server 2019

Feature Restrictions in SQL Server 2019 are Worse Than Useless: a False Sense of Security And Wasted Opportunity (Msg 16305, Msg 16309, VA1145)

A misguided attempt to improve security that not only increases the chances of SQL Injection, but also prevented useful changes from being made.

Specific String Pattern Magically Hidden From Step Output in SQL Agent History

Specific String Pattern Magically Hidden From Step Output in SQL Agent History. Who Knew?

Error -2068643839 / 1602 Installing msoledbsql.msi, msodbcsql.msi, and sqlncli.msi for SQL Server 2019 (CTP or RTM)

Installing SQL Server 2019 CTP 2.5 fails with almost no useful info. Searching on code or message finds nothing. This post fixes that 😎

Can a Certificate’s Private Key be Imported / Restored From a Binary Literal / Hex Bytes ?

Can a Certificate's Private Key be Restored From a Binary Literal / Hex Bytes? The Documentation Says, "No". What Does SQL Server Say?

Cruel Joke: Prevent SQL Server From Starting, and With (Almost) No Indication Why

Come see how to prevent SQL Server from starting, and in an easy-to-fix-yet-impossible-to-find way! 😈

How Does DBCC CHECKIDENT Really Work When Resetting the Identity Seed (RESEED)?

Does resetting an Identity Seed to a specific value via DBCC CHECKIDENT(..., RESEED, new_seed_value) work the way the documentation states? It depends 🙃

Changing the Collation of the SQL Server Instance, the Databases, and All Columns in All User Databases: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Need to change the collation at ALL levels? Prefer to avoid reloading all objects and data? Learn what the "sqlservr -q" option does, and doesn't, do.