A regular question is how to transfer data from one table to another efficiently.

I'm including an example of one method. But as with all approaches - ensure you have relevant SQL Server BACKUP and RESTORE  for easy rollback.

Keep in mind - the structure of the new table is defined by the SELECT statements expression attributes . One of the consequences is that you will need to transfer indices separately

--create new table and insert dataset

select * INTO Links_temp from Links where links_id NOT IN ('2E28BF11CFBC','B0566C4F2758')

--check count dataset  and whatever sanity checks you require

select count(*) from Links_temp

--check new resultset

select * from Links_temp

--check and compare column definition

SELECT column_name,

data_type ,

CHARacter_maximum_length

FROM information_schema.columns

WHERE table_name = 'Links_temp'

 

--rename existing Linkstable to Links240810

sp_rename '[Links]','[Links240810]'

--rename Links_temp to Links

sp_rename 'Links_temp','Links'

 

--oops!indexes didn't transfer - which they don't on a SELECT INTO

 

CREATE UNIQUE CLUSTERED INDEX [I_Links10] ON [dbo].[Links]

(

[links_id] ASC,

[name] ASC

)WITH (PAD_INDEX  = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE  = OFF, SORT_IN_TEMPDB = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, DROP_EXISTING = OFF, ONLINE = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS  = ON,

ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS  = ON) ON [PRIMARY]






CREATE NONCLUSTERED INDEX [I_Links11] ON [dbo].[Links]

(

[head_id] ASC

)WITH (PAD_INDEX  = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE  = OFF, SORT_IN_TEMPDB = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, DROP_EXISTING = OFF, ONLINE = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS  = ON,

ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS  = ON) ON [PRIMARY]





GO

CREATE NONCLUSTERED INDEX [I_Links12] ON [dbo].[Links]

(

[version_series_id] ASC

)WITH (PAD_INDEX  = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE  = OFF, SORT_IN_TEMPDB = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, DROP_EXISTING = OFF, ONLINE = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS  = ON,

ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS  = ON) ON [PRIMARY]





ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Links] ADD PRIMARY KEY NONCLUSTERED

(

[object_id] ASC

)WITH (PAD_INDEX  = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE  = OFF, SORT_IN_TEMPDB = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ONLINE = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS  = ON, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS  =

ON) ON [PRIMARY]