Before and After

If your database is on a server that's running Windows NT 4.0, make sure that Service Pack 4 (SP4) or later is applied.

Ensure that your SQL Server 6.5 database has at least SP5 for an in-place upgrade or SP3 if you're upgrading to another server.

Run Database Consistency Checker (DBCC) utilities to check database consistency, and make any needed repairs.

Make full backups of each user database plus master, model, and msdb.

Ensure that you have available disk space (formatted and recognized by the OS) equivalent to 1.5 times the space required for the SQL Server 6.5 databases.

Ensure that you have 200MB of free space on the system drive, where the program files directory and the shared executables are located.

Increase tempdb from 50MB to 100MB; remove it from RAM if that's where it is.

Increase the master database by 10MB.

Increase pagefile size to equal physical RAM plus 16MB for the Upgrade Wizard.

Generate SQL scripts for each user database; include all database and security objects.

Break replication; remove all subscribers, publications, and publishers (after making notes about the replication topology and publications); remove all replication jobs.

Ensure that all SQL Server service accounts (SQL Executive, SQL Agent) are set up as domain accounts and are members of the local Administrators group.

Deactivate any stored procedures that are set to run at database startup.

Drop all constraints, including declarative referential integrity (DRI).

Drop all indexes, both nonclustered and clustered.

Redefine clustered and unique indexes.

Redefine nonclustered indexes.

Redefine constraints.

Redefine replication publishers and subscribers.

If appropriate, reduce tempdb.

Apply SP1.

Make an installation backup of each user database plus master, model, and msdb.

Test all stored procedures to ensure that they work as expected.

Migrate security to the new model.

Use Windows authentication.

Use fixed roles for administrator tasks.

Create roles, assign permissions to them, then add members to each role.

Investigate SQL Server 2000's new features, and integrate them into your system as appropriate.