I need guidance on how to incorporate a new column with a specified default value into an already established table in SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005. Any examples or step-by-step instructions would be appreciated.
yo! just use ALTER TABLE like the previous answer showed, but make sure u specify the type too. so like, if u need a text default, adjust it like VARCHAR, or use GETDATE() for timestamp defaults. it’s super handy. gl!
To add a new column with a default value to an existing table in SQL Server, you can use the ALTER TABLE statement. For example, to add a column named “NewColumn” with a default value of 10, the query would be:
ALTER TABLE YourTable
ADD NewColumn INT DEFAULT 10;
This statement modifies “YourTable”, adding “NewColumn” of the integer type with a default value of 10. It automatically assigns the default value to this column for existing rows. This method is compatible with both SQL Server 2000 and 2005.
hey, i’m curious about your table structure. do you have any specific data type requirements for your column’s default value? and have you considered how this default might change app behavior? would be interesting to hear the kind of table ur working with 
To add a column with a default value without affecting existing table performance dramatically, ensure that the new column’s data type and default value fit well with existing data operations. One effective approach is adding your column in off-peak times, especially in production environments, to minimize the performance hit. Furthermore, if you’re using advanced features of SQL Server 2005, consider incorporating constraints if your logic requires them, as it can further enforce data consistency and validations for your new column.
u might also want to consider potential impacts on ur application logic or queries that might depend on this new column. sometimes lil things like defaults can create unexpected results. just a thought, esp. if ur working with large datasets or complex joins. take care! 