Creating a New Media Set

To create a new media set, you must format the backup media (one or more tapes or disk files). The formatting process changes the backup media as follows:

  1. Deletes the old header (if any), effectively deleting the previous contents of the backup media.
    Formatting a tape device deletes all previous contents of the currently mounted tape. Formatting a disk affects only the file that you specify for the backup operation
  2. Writes a new media header on the backup media (tape or disk file) on each of the backup devices.

To create a new media set by using Transact-SQL

To create a new media set by using SQL Server Management Studio

To create a new media set, erasing any existing media header and backup sets, select Back up to a new media set, and erase all existing backup sets on the Options page of the Back Up Database dialog box.

To create a new media set by using SQL Server Management Objects (SMO)

See Also

Concepts

Security Considerations for Backup and Restore
Overwriting Backup Sets

Other Resources

sp_configure (Transact-SQL)

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance