Your specimen data is stored in a special database format managed by Microsoft’s SQL Server Desktop Engine. Using the create database command you can create extra databases for special needs. Each database is stored on your computer’s hard disk using two files. One of these two files stores all of your data, the other is a transaction log file used to ensure that changes to the first file are always carried out without corruption.

The location of these two database files is set by you when you create the database. The names of the two files is automatically determined when you type in the name of the database.
For the parameters shown above the two files would be like this: .................................

Caution: Do not attempt to move these two files using Windows Explorer. Moving these files to a different directory or a different disk will damage them so that you’ll be unable to use your database. If you need to change their location follow the instructions for Moving your database files.

When you make a backup of your database, the two files are compressed into one special backup file. This backup file is suitable for use with the database restore operation.

When you make a backup copy of your database, the backup file can be placed in any directory on any drive.
Note that this backup file can only be used with the database restore operation. It cannot be opened directly with the database open command. .................................