Internal SQL Server Database Version Numbers
A database created by a more recent version of SQL Server cannot be attached or restored to an earlier version. This restriction is simply because an older version cannot know about file format changes that were introduced in the newer release.
If you attempt to attach a database to an earlier version, you will get SQL Server error 948 with the internal version numbers listed in the error message text. For example, the following error occurs if you try to attach a SQL Server 2008 R2 database to a SQL Server 2008 server:
The database 'MyDatabase' cannot be opened because it is version 665. This server supports version 661 and earlier. A downgrade path is not supported.
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Sample text from SQL Server error 948
The cryptic version numbers in the error message refer to the internal database version. These internal version numbers are undocumented but are (at least currently) the same value reported by the DATABASEPROPERTYEX function 'Version' property of the source database. If you are unsure of the source database version, the table below maps the internal version numbers to SQL Server versions so you can determine the minimum version you need for the attach to succeed:
SQL Server Version
|
Internal Database Version
|
SQL Server 2008 R2
|
665
|
SQL Server 2008
|
661
|
SQL Server 2005 SP2+ with vardecimal enabled
|
612
|
SQL Server 2005
|
611
|
SQL Server 2000
|
539
|
SQL Server 7
|
515
|
SQL Server versions and internal database versions
Below are the allowable SQL Server upgrade paths for a database attach or restore. The internal database version will be as above after a successful attach or restore.
Target SQL Server Version
|
Source SQL Server Version
|
Internal Database Version
|
SQL Server 2008 R2
|
SQL Server 2008 R2
|
665
|
SQL Server 2008
|
661
|
|
SQL Server 2005 with vardecimal enabled
|
612
|
|
SQL Server 2005
|
611
|
|
SQL Server 2000
|
539
|
|
SQL Server 2008
|
SQL Server 2008
|
661
|
SQL Server 2005 with vardecimal enabled
|
612
|
|
SQL Server 2005
|
611
|
|
SQL Server 2000
|
539
|
|
SQL Server 2005 SP2+
|
SQL Server 2005 with vardecimal enabled
|
612
|
SQL Server 2005
|
611
|
|
SQL Server 2000
|
539
|
|
SQL Server 7
|
515
|
|
SQL Server 2005
|
SQL Server 2005
|
611
|
SQL Server 2000
|
539
|
|
SQL Server 7
|
515
|
|
SQL Server 2000
|
SQL Server 2000
|
539
|
SQL Server 7
|
515
|
|
SQL Server 7
|
SQL Server 7
|
515
|
Database File Versions and Upgrade Paths
As I mentioned earlier, downgrades are not supported. You’ll need to copy objects and data from the newer source database to the older target if you need to downgrade; attach or restore is not an option to copy a database to an earlier version.
Legacy Comments
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Chirag Shah
2011-07-19 |
re: Internal SQL Server Database Version Numbers Dan, This blog post will provide a good reference point to know internal datbase version without running DATABASEPROPERTYEX on different version. Not sure are they even listed on MSDN? |