Migrating master database to another server (DR testing).

Question

So I was tasked to do some DR testing, by moving one of our environments to another.  I was tasked with moving 1 user database called Vant, master, and msdb.  I managed to accomplish it, but it wasn't easy and a little messy.  I'm looking
to see if you guys can help me clean my steps up a bit.
Environment backgroud.
Both environments are SQL Server 2012 Enterprise
Build: 11.0.3368
Instance Name: Default
Process
I took all 3 backups from my source server and placed it in a network location where my destination server can access.
1) I began by trying to restore master database by placing my instance in single user mode, backup restored.
2) when I removed the destination instance from single user mode, the service would not start, did this a couple of times, but no luck.
3)I also made sure the startup parameters were pointing to the right folder location
4)Then I thought, maybe it was the folder location where it restored to, that was causing the problem because they were different; so I went ahead moved master into a folder location that would match the source, i also changed the startup parameters, but
the instance still wouldn't start
5)So then I checked the event logs, and noticed that SQL Server was looking for databases that were on the Source Instance, as well as some of the system databases that I hadn't moved the files to the new folder location
6)Restored the original master database from the destination server so that I could get the service going
7) moved all the system databases from the old folder location on the destination server to where master now resided; created two empty databases with the names the event log was looking for.
8)Restored master database from source server, and the service finally started up
9)When I went into SSMS, I noticed that the two empty databases I created were in recovery pending
10) dropped one of the databases I didn't need, and restored the Vant database, as well as msdb; everything looks good.
So there it is, I totally don't feel good about this.  I don't like the fact that the databases came up in "recovery pending" and also that I had to create the databases it was looking for before I could restore and start up the service, but
maybe that's just how it is.  Any advice you can give me on how to clean this up would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi,
Did you reffered to Microsoft doumentation on how to move system databses.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345408(v=sql.110).aspx
For user databse backup when you restore on different server you use with move option to physically give location to mdf and ldf files.
Moving system database is little tricky
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