Rename/Change SharePoint Central Admin Content Database

Sometime it is require to change the name of Content Database or attach new content database for any Sharepoint web Applications.Following steps show how can we change name of cntent database for sharepoint central administrator site -

1. Back up all databases and verify the backups in case these steps do not work correctly.


2. Launch Central Administration.


3. Choose Application Management, and then Content Databases.


4. Change the Web Application field to SharePoint Central Administration v3(or any oter web application).


5. Verify that the name of the content database matches the one you want to rename,
   and then click the database name.


6. Select the Remove content database check box, accept the warning, and then click OK. CAUTION : this step disables SharePoint Central Administration until you finish the remaining steps.


7. Using SQL Management Studio, back up the database,
   and then restore it using a friendly name .


8. From the application server, launch a command prompt (cmd.exe) and change to
   the following directory using this command:
   Cd c:\program files\common files\Microsoft Shared\web server
   extensions\12\bin


9. Run the following command:
   stsadm -o addcontentdb -url [YourCentralAdminSite] -databasename [NewDatabaseName]
   -databaseserver databaseservername
   You might have to run this command under the same credentials as the Application
   Pool associated with your SharePoint Central Administration website. If that is the
   case, you will need to temporarily add this service account to the Local Administrators group and either log in as the service account or use the runas command.


10. Test Central Administration. If the site comes up correctly, you have successfully renamed the database.

See Renaming Sharepoint Virtual Machines , if you are using a VM and want to change Server name ........