Install a practice instance, prove a query and restore a backup.
Finish with: A Windows SQL Server Express practice instance with a verified connection, session-local SQL exercise, least-privilege connection plan, checksum-verified backup and separate restored practice database.
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BuildBotsBetterA step demonstration outline; use optional narration while you follow it.
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You have recorded evidence for every step. Repeat the core task from a fresh input and export your results. Review the source, account and platform limits before using the workflow on real work.
Repeat the last product-specific checkpoint from a fresh practice input, preserve actual output, then complete the Build Bot Better guard and restore checks. Export the evidence.
Sources checked 2026-10-05. SQL exercise can be tested under our own login on the existing host, but that does not prove a clean Express engine install. A Windows practice VM and administrator-provisioned identity are needed for a fully verified setup walk.
Source-owned text for offline reading and retrieval. Command success still requires actual local evidence.
Open Microsoft’s current SQL Server downloads and edition documentation. Choose Express for a small free practice instance; confirm supported Windows version, CPU, RAM and disk requirements for that installer. Keep the existing live SQL instance unchanged. Record a distinct practice instance name.
Expected: The selected Express version, supported Windows host, requirements and practice instance name are recorded.
On a disposable practice host, download the signed Microsoft Express installer. Choose a named instance such as BBBPRACTICE, save its exact instance name and complete the engine installation. Keep network access local; do not open firewall ports just to connect locally.
Expected: Setup reports success and the named SQL Server service is running.
Get-Service | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "MSSQL*" } | Select-Object Name,Status# This course teaches a Windows Express service; use a prepared Windows practice VM.# This course teaches a Windows Express service; use a prepared Windows practice VM.Install SQL Server Management Studio from Microsoft’s official download. Connect to localhost\BBBPRACTICE with your own authorized account on the practice host. For a self-signed local certificate, inspect the certificate/trust option only for this known local instance; do not disable certificate validation on remote servers.
Expected: SSMS connects to the exact practice instance and SELECT @@VERSION reports the chosen edition/version.
# In an SSMS query window:
# SELECT @@VERSION AS version, SERVERPROPERTY('Edition') AS edition;Open practice.sql in the same SSMS connection and execute the whole file as one batch. The temporary table exists only in this session; it does not edit an application’s tables. Read the ordered results.
Expected: SQL PRACTICE PASS reports 2 rows, one completed; the result shows task 1 done and task 2 not done.
# SSMS: open resources/practice.sql, connect to the practice instance, then Execute.In connection-checklist.md, document the app’s needed database/schema and minimal read/write permissions. Have the administrator provision that dedicated login; keep its secret in a user-scoped environment/secret store. Do not enable a shared sa workflow. Verify the login can run its allowed query and cannot write a protected schema.
Expected: The app login is scoped to the practice data, credentials stay outside source, and allowed/denied checks are recorded.
In SSMS create BBBPractice on the disposable instance and add a small table with two known rows. Review backup-restore.sql and the default backup directory. Run the COPY_ONLY checksum backup and RESTORE VERIFYONLY. Record the backup path and successful checks.
Expected: The backup is created and checksum verification succeeds for BBBPractice.
Use RESTORE FILELISTONLY and SSMS Restore Database to restore the backup as BBBPracticeRestored. Relocate data/log files to unique paths. Never use WITH REPLACE over a live database. Query the restored practice table and compare the original two rows.
Expected: BBBPracticeRestored contains the expected two rows in distinct data/log files.
Fill connection-checklist.md with instance, own login, driver/certificate assumptions, query proof, backup verification and restore result. Express has no SQL Server Agent: plan a reviewed external scheduler with logs and failure alerts for future backups.
Expected: The checklist lets a new session connect, verify, back up and restore the practice data.
Fill in onboarding-checklist.md for your agent. Record AGENTS.md, the tool’s user settings and memory folder, the assigned workspace, permissions, guard location, backup schedule, and a final proof task. Keep the checklist in your project.
Expected: The checklist contains a concrete path and owner for rules, memory, permissions, guard, backup, restore and final verification.
Run workspace_guard.py --self-test. Read the source: the target is resolved before deciding. The variable_target case points at the home folder but performs no filesystem operation. Compare this with a hook that sees only command text.
Expected: GUARD PASS reports inside allowed and profile, outside, variable-derived profile and workspace root denied; no deletion was executed.
python workspace_guard.py --self-testpython3 workspace_guard.py --self-testpython3 workspace_guard.py --self-testFor CLI tools, open the hook/permissions screen and confirm the configured guard is active. Use your tool’s documented pre-command hook protocol; the BBB working reference is linked in Sources. Run a harmless directory listing, then a guard dry-run targeting the profile. Do not execute a destructive profile probe. Grok Bot has no proven local shell guard here: use project-only tasks and reviewed actions, with backups.
Expected: A harmless command runs, the guard dry-run returns DENY, and the checklist records the actual hook protocol and active state or the Grok Bot limitation.
Connect a second backup drive. Windows: configure System Protection as additional recovery and use a scheduled copy/File History that explicitly includes hidden agent folders. macOS: configure Time Machine and verify dot folders are included. Linux: use a home backup such as restic/Deja Dup; Timeshift omits /home by default. Download the copy-only profile backup script for your platform, inspect it, and adapt the folder list to your tool. Record the last successful scheduled run; protect backup access because it may contain credentials.
Expected: A backup on another drive includes the tool’s user settings and memory folder and this project, and a successful schedule/time is recorded.
.\profile-backup.ps1 -Destination D:\Backups\llm-profilesbash profile-backup.sh /Volumes/YourBackup/llm-profilesbash profile-backup.sh /media/YourBackup/llm-profilesRun restore_drill.py with a separate backup directory. The script creates a new proof file, copies it, restores a second copy, and compares SHA256 hashes. Then restore one non-secret file from your actual agent memory backup into a separate scratch directory and open it; do not overwrite the live profile.
Expected: RESTORE PASS contains matching hashes; the actual memory file is readable after restoration into scratch.
python restore_drill.py --backup-root D:\Backups\bbb-practice --work-root practicepython3 restore_drill.py --backup-root /Volumes/YourBackup/bbb-practice --work-root practicepython3 restore_drill.py --backup-root /media/YourBackup/bbb-practice --work-root practice