When should I pack my database?

Q. When should I pack my database?

A. Packing the database removes dead space from deleted allocations and makes the allocations for tables, blobs and indexes contiguous in the database. So it compacts and defragments within the database file. The deframentation may not be as beneficial if the underlying operating system is fragmented.

Here are some conditions where you might consider packing your database:

1. You delete a sizeable number of records from the database.
2. Upgrading to a new file format.
3. Salvaging a corrupt database.
4. Moving the database to a new location. Example might be emailing a database or moving it from development to deployment.