Char(9) doesn't print tab in Sql server 2005

If you're testing this inside of Management Studio, the Results to Grid (Ctrl + D) setting will change your tab to a space... try switching to Results to Text (Ctrl + T) instead, and you will see the tab.

Alternately, you can change your select to a print:

print 'tab-->' + char(9) + '<--tab'

Outputs...

tab-->  <--tab