Sql-server – Creating a copy of a large database

SSIS has a copy database function, so you would have to execute your T-SQL via SSIS, and then you could have a copy database as a step in that process.

Are you trying to restore over the existing database on E:? If so SQL Server shouldn't need space on C: at all.

It sounds like you're either trying to restore another copy of the database onto C: (which you won't be able to do unless there's enough space) or the backup was taken of the database when its files were on C:, and so it's trying to recreate them on C:.

You can check this by doing a RESTORE FILELISTONLY on the backup and it will tell you the database files it will try to create (see Books Online here). If they're pointing at C:, you can make the restore create them on E: instead using the WITH MOVE syntax.

You can see an example of this in Books Online at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms186858.aspx#restoring_db_n_move_files

Hope this helps!