Can't perform emptyfile operation on .mdf?

Question

Hi all, 
I'm trying to move data from the original .mdf for a database into 8 new db files which I have already created as primary. 
USE [db_qr2]
GO
DBCC SHRINKFILE (N'db_qr2_data' , EMPTYFILE)
The problem is that every time I try to do this I get the following error message:
Msg 2555, Level 16, State 2, Line 1
Cannot move all contents of file "db_qr2_data" to other places to complete the EMPTYFILE operation.
Not sure why it won't let me. Ideally I want to empty the file to delete it and have it replaced by the 8 new .mdf files. 
How can I get this to empty properly for deletion?

Answer 1

Yes, you can remove the old MDF, but you have to create a new one first by changing the name firstThe
ALTER
DATABASE[tempdb]MODIFYFILE(
NAME=N'tempdev',
NEWNAME =N'tempdev_1',
FILENAME=N'V:\Instance
7\tempdb_1.mdf',
SIZE=100MB,
FILEGROWTH=0%);
This changes the focus away from the original file  'tempdb.mdf' by rename it logically and physically to 'tempdb_1' as the syntax show.. NOW the original file can be deleted from the disk for it is unlocked
Next you want to bring the MDF file back up to a usable level like 1000 or 10K GB ...
ALTER
DATABASE[tempdb]MODIFYFILE(
NAME=N'tempdev_1',
SIZE=10000MB,
FILEGROWTH=0%);
Lastly, here is a copy of post about dealing with the NDF files where you want to add and drop them, which I have tested and it works... You should perform your own test as well.
Thanks for the post
1. You cannot put the Tempdb in Single user mode, which is logical since it is a system database or sorts
2. The Restarting of your SQL Server instance prior to the execution of the REMOVE FILE command is essential
3. Here is my post from a TEST where I had added an NDF file..
Warning the TempDEV_2 file declaration got lost somehow in this process and the system thinks it is still there, which it is not.. So be careful and test your syntax on test server instance before you do what you need on a production server..
— my syntax
use tempdb
go
sp_helpfile
ALTER DATABASE [tempdb] ADD FILE ( NAME = N’tempdev_4′, FILENAME = N’V:\Instance 7\tempdb_4.ndf’, SIZE = 100MB, FILEGROWTH = 0% ) TO FILEGROUP [PRIMARY];
GO
DBCC SHRINKFILE (N’tempdev_4′ , 0) –shrink to 000 MB
GO
ALTER DATABASE [tempdb] MODIFY FILE ( NAME = N’tempdev_4′, SIZE = 0KB, FILEGROWTH = 0% );
GO
— The SQL Server Instance MAY have to be Restarted to clear all system usage pointers into the Tempdb database
— before this command can be performed
ALTER DATABASE [tempdb] REMOVE FILE [tempdev_4];
GO
sp_helpfile
[email protected]
end…
FHankFreeman