Getting a SQL Server RowCount Without doing a Table Scan

SELECT [name]
, dbo.[fn_get_table_rowcount] ([name]) as [Row Count]
FROM sysobjects
WHERE type='U' and name != 'dtproperties'
ORDER BY [Row Count] desc
GO


----------------------------------------------------------------------
--FUNCIOTN
----------------------------------------------------------------------
IF EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[fn_get_table_rowcount]') AND type in (N'FN', N'IF', N'TF', N'FS', N'FT'))
DROP FUNCTION [dbo].[fn_get_table_rowcount]
GO


CREATE FUNCTION dbo.[fn_get_table_rowcount]
(
@sTableName sysname -- Table to retrieve Row Count
)
RETURNS INT -- Row count of the table, NULL if not found.
AS BEGIN

DECLARE @nRowCount INT -- the rows
DECLARE @nObjectID int -- Object ID

SET @nObjectID = OBJECT_ID(@sTableName)

-- Object might not be found
IF @nObjectID is null RETURN NULL

SELECT TOP 1 @nRowCount = rows
FROM sysindexes
WHERE id = @nObjectID AND indid < 2

RETURN @nRowCount
END
GO