New to SQL - Please help

Please excues my ignorance, but I am in no way a SQL guy; so here goes:
I have an accounting package that uses SQL 2000. SQL is creating a backup
file that is getting HUGE (about 2 GB)
The actual data is around a few hundred MB.
Is there a way to reduce the size of the backup file by:
Compacting?
Performaing a backup (that SQL knows about)?
Is there a way to move that file?
Can any of this be done on-line?
Thanks for any help.
Regards;
PBPlease forgive my ignorance, but:
Where is the database? It appears that the app that uses SQL is pointing to
a file share on another server. The backup file (BAK) is local, and it is
killing me. As I said, it is 2 GB and growing.
If it is the BAK file that is huge; will that fix my problem? The database
itself is only 132 MB.
TIA;
PB
"Peter The Spate" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:44e901c47fb8$3fa1b9d0$a401280a@.phx.gbl...[vbcol=seagreen]
> Welcome to SQL
> Try doing the following at a time when the database has
> few or no users.
> Right Click on the Database and select Properties
> Select Options Tab
> Under Recovery - Model if its not set to simple change it
> to simple.
> Press OK
> Right Click the database and select All Tasks -> Shrink
> Database
> Select the check box 'Move Pages to beginning...'
> Press ok
> Go make yourself a drink whilst your waiting ;)
> And after if finishes change your 'Recovery - Model' back
> to what it was prior to your change.
> Peter
>
>
> so here goes:
> creating a backup|||When releasing space SQL Server doesn't actually free
disk space, its thinking is if its needed it before, it
needs it now, so if you say delete half your database you
will see the same disk space.
The problem though is probably to do with your log file
that will grows a heck of a lot.
To work out where your files are click onto your database
then at the top menu selecy view 'Something (I'm away
from SQL) pad'
It will give you the location and size of your data files
and log files.
These files can be anywhere on your Network.
As for your backup files (.BAK) its considered good
practice to store them on a different server than the one
that SQL is on.
And yes, performing the steps will solve the problem as
the steps will release the unused disk space and so the
backups will not be fooled into thinking there is more to
the files than there actually is.
Anyway its 22:15 here and I am off to do something else.
Good luck
Peter
Peter

>--Original Message--
>Please forgive my ignorance, but:
>Where is the database? It appears that the app that uses
SQL is pointing to
>a file share on another server. The backup file (BAK) is
local, and it is
>killing me. As I said, it is 2 GB and growing.
>If it is the BAK file that is huge; will that fix my
problem? The database
>itself is only 132 MB.
>TIA;
>PB
>
>"Peter The Spate" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message
>news:44e901c47fb8$3fa1b9d0$a401280a@.phx.gbl...
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>
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>