How to drop all tables in a SQL Server database?

Question

I'm trying to write a script that will completely empty a SQL Server database. This is what I have so far:

USE [dbname]
GO
EXEC sp_msforeachtable 'ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT all'
EXEC sp_msforeachtable 'DELETE ?'

When I run it in the Management Studio, I get:

Command(s) completed successfully.

but when I refresh the table list, they are all still there. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

You can also delete all tables from database using only MSSMS UI tools (without using SQL script). Sometimes this way can be more comfortable (especially if it is performed occasionally)

I do this step by step as follows:

1. Select 'Tables' on the database tree (Object Explorer)
2. Press F7 to open Object Explorer Details view
3. In this view select tables which have to be deleted (in this case all of them)
4. Keep pressing Delete until all tables have been deleted (you repeat it as many times as amount of errors due to key constraints/dependencies)