asked on

MS SQL Server .bak file in 2005 format from 2008

I have Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and am uploading a .bak file of one of the databases to a website hosting account but they only currently support MS SQL Server 2005 .bak files - i've already paid acocunt fee's so obviously don't want to have to move somewhere else.

Is there anyway of making the sql server 2008 save the .bak file in the same format that a 2005 sql server would read?

Incase this helps - this was the error that they received while trying to put up the .bak 2008 database version:

"Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error '80040e14'

[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]The backed-up database has on-disk structure version 661. The server supports version 539 and cannot restore or upgrade this database."

Brendt Hess

The simple answer is - no, it is not possible. SQL Server has never had the ability to restore from a later version to an earlier version.

The more complex answer is - you can use workarounds involving a SQL 2005 installation and using SSIS packages to transfer the database to the SQL 2005 installation, then backing that up; or by buying a third party backup tool (and make sure that the tool has this capability).

Sorry, but that's just the way it is.

Raja Jegan R

Instead you can use Database Publishing wizard and create a script of your Entire database both DDL and Data and run it in 2005 server.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=56e5b1c5-bf17-42e0-a410-371a838e570a&displaylang=en

Brendt Hess

Has someone confirmed that the publishing wizard works on 2008? It's only verified for 2005.

jd1991

ASKER

for that to work do i have to have sql server 2005? as i currently only have sql server 2008. and it needs to be in a .bak file so not sure if the script can be changed into a .bak file?

Brendt Hess

Answered my question myself - the linked version above does NOT work with SQL 2008, but this version does:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=119368

jd1991

ASKER

bhess1 - just downloaded it and a screen has popped up telling me that i need to download 'Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Management Objects Collection' first, so seems to me that it may only work for 2005?

Raja Jegan R

Oops, missed noticing SQL Server 2008.

You can use Generate scripts wizard to create scripts of entire database.
Make sure that Data is selected while scripting because it would be set to no by default.

jd1991

ASKER

i know how to make a script of the database - the problem is they need it in a .bak format.

if i use the link above will that help get it into a .bak format? dont want to go through installing that on my server and getting it to work to find out it doesn't help

Raja Jegan R

Its not possible to take backup in *.bak format in your case..
And if you take it as bak, then you can't restore it in 2005 server.

jd1991

ASKER

so am i correct in thinking that the only work around for my specific problem is to install sql server 2005 and start again with that?

shalabhsharma

You might be able to migrate the tables and data via scripts or an SSIS package as long as you don't develop anything on your 2008 instance that does not exist in the older version. The best way to do this would be to put your database into 2005 compatibility mode.

- create a database in 2005 and import the the data into it from MSSQL2008.

Raja Jegan R

>> so am i correct in thinking that the only work around for my specific problem is to install sql server 2005 and start again with that?

Instead of installing 2005, why can't you try using Generate Scripts wizard.

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Brendt Hess

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jd1991

ASKER

ok thanks for your help