Moving SQL Database from SEManager to SQL2008 or 5 Express

If the DB size is less than 10GB you can move it to an Express instance.

The best way is to do a backup and restore to the new instance. There are so many explanations of how to do that, I'll let you do the extended research but it is basically right-click the DB in Management Studio and select backup and follow the prompts. Restore is pretty much a similar idea.

Then use the sp_help_revlogin to transfer logins and passwords between instances of SQL Server.

Now a suggestion to make your life easier in the future. If you have a DB that is on a server, even a named or instance like ServerName1\InstanceName and you have access to your DNS make a CNAme record like MyAppServer that points at the ServerName1. Then in the future if you want to move the DB or instance, all you have to do is modify the CName record to point at ServerName2. You won't have to touch the clients at all.

Hi,

Instead of pushing the database across to the higher-level instance, pull it across from that instance.

Regards
  David

Hi

I tried to restore the database backup to the Express version, I got the error, any ideas?

David: not sure how to achieve that, from the express version the only restore option was browsing locally.


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Restore failed for Server 'ppm-srv-05\SQLEXPRESS'.  (Microsoft.SqlServer.Express.Smo)

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For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&ProdVer=9.00.2047.00&EvtSrc=Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExceptionTemplates.FailedOperationExceptionText&EvtID=Restore+Server&LinkId=20476

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Program Location:

   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Restore.SqlRestore(Server srv)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.SqlRestoreDatabaseOptions.RunRestore()

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System.Data.SqlClient.SqlError: Directory lookup for the file "d:\databases\Main1st_Data.MDF" failed with the operating system error 2(error not found). (Microsoft.SqlServer.Express.Smo)

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For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&ProdVer=9.00.2047.00&LinkId=20476

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Program Location:

   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExecutionManager.ExecuteNonQueryWithMessage(StringCollection queries, ServerMessageEventHandler dbccMessageHandler, Boolean errorsAsMessages)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.BackupRestoreBase.ExecuteSql(Server server, StringCollection queries)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Restore.SqlRestore(Server srv)
SQL-Error.jpg

Does the server have a D:\Databases\ folder? You'll probably have to go in and mess with the paths to do the restore.

its not that the restore could not find the .BAK file, I have previously moved it to the default folder it was looking for.

Many thanks indeed, this worked fine. Appreciate the response and also the previous DNS tip :-).