1 Reply by Janet Simkin

  • Janet Simkin
  • Janet Simkin
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  • From: Northumberland
  • Registered: 10-05-2006
  • Posts: 260

Re: Moving databases between PCs

I have R6.13 on two machines, a desktop running MSDE under Windows XP and a laptop with SQL Server 2005 Express under Vista. It would be really useful if I could transfer the database from one to the other but when I copy the MDF and LDF files from the laptop to the desktop I can't even attach to the copied database. Does anyone know whether this should work, or am I wasting my time?

Janet Simkin
British Lichen Society

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2 Reply by charlesroper

  • charlesroper
  • charlesroper
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  • From: Field Studies Council
  • Registered: 26-03-2006
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Re: Moving databases between PCs

It should work MSDE to SQL 2005. Not sure about the other way, though; I would imagine that it doesn't work, but I don't recall having ever tried it. I don't know if, on attaching to SQL 2005, the db gets irreversibly modified.

Charles Roper
Digital Development Manager | Field Studies Council
http://www.field-studies-council.org | https://twitter.com/charlesroper | https://twitter.com/fsc_digital

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3 Reply by SimonWood

  • SimonWood
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  • Registered: 09-09-2008
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Re: Moving databases between PCs

Hi Janet,

I agree with Charles for this.   There should be no issues transferring from MSDE to SQL 2005, but you can't perform it in the opposite direction.   SQL2005 does amend the files so that they are not backwards compatible with MSDE.

One option would be to upgrade your MSDE instance to SQL EXPRESS 2005, then there would not be an issue. Or alternatively you look at migrating the data using import/export functionlity but this would be a very long winded way of carrying it out and the Recorder datastructure is fairly complex.

Simon Wood
[url=http://www.dorsetsoftware.com/]Dorset Software Services[/url]

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4 Reply by Gordon Barker

  • Gordon Barker
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  • Registered: 15-05-2006
  • Posts: 344

Re: Moving databases between PCs

Would it work to run a backup on the first, copy the backup file across, and then run a restore from the second?

If not can someone suggest how I should get data from a networked version to a stand-alone (for training purposes)?

Thanks

Gordon

Gordon Barker
Biological Survey Data Manager
National Trust