Hello, we would like to move our wss 3.0 databases from a WSS 3.0 / SQL Express (Windows Server 2003 x86) on same server installation to a member server SQL 2008 SP1 (WIndows Server 2008 R2 x64) instance. Is this only possible with backup + uninstall/reinstall + restore or are there other options?

Hi, Please refer http://www.toddklindt.com/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=55 in this article it is mentioned for SQL 2005, you can use the same procedure for SQL 2008 STD SP1Warm Regards, Pratik Vyas | SharePoint Consultant | http://sharepointpratik.blogspot.com/

Upgrade is not possible, as i wrote in my first post the databases should be moved to a member server.

ok, so if you are going to move the DBs from SQL express to member server you just have to restore all those DBs on SQL 2008 server , and I think it is installed on member server, correct me if i am wrong. And after restore it will be ready to be attached to WSS sites.Warm Regards, Pratik Vyas | SharePoint Consultant | http://sharepointpratik.blogspot.com/

Here's what I had in the WSS FAQ for WSS 3.0. http://wssv3faq.mindsharp.com/Lists/v3%20WSS%20FAQ/DispForm.aspx?ID=136 It's probably similar to the post Pratik mentioned because it too is (well it's been there a long time) to SQL Server 2005 but as he wrote you can no doubt use the same procedure for SQL Server 2008 SP1 too.SP 2010 "FAQ" (mainly useful links): http://wssv4faq.mindsharp.com/default.aspx WSS3/MOSS FAQ (FAQ and Links) http://wssv3faq.mindsharp.com/default.aspx Both also have links to extensive book lists and to (free) on-line chapters

Hi Utto, I would recommend you to take a full backup of user database in SQL Server 2005 Express and restore the same in SQL Server 2008 R2 Instance. Make sure, you create all the logins used by your apps in Production Server. To sync SQL Logins read the following article on MSDN. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms174378(v=SQL.100).aspx Don't follow Detach and Attach methods as once you attach the database to SQL Server 2008 R2 then you won’t be able to attach the database or restore the database back to SQL Server 2005 Express for any work. To know more read the following article Why an SQL Server Database from a higher version cannot be restored onto a lower version? For the detailed information, please check the following article: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlexpress/thread/4abf91a7-f5e8-438b-8b56-2daeb4482dde/ Thanks, Rock Wang TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.comRegards, Rock Wang Microsoft Online Community Support

Hi Utto, I want to say hi to know whether our suggestion is helpful, if you have any questions, feel free to reply to the forum. Thanks, Rock Wang TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.comRegards, Rock Wang Microsoft Online Community Support

My question is do i really need to uninstall or is there any other method? I want to move all databases including the config db to the member server with SQL 2008 installed. Will this work? http://sharepointsherpa.com/2008/04/18/sharepoint-2007-move-content-and-configuration-databases/

Hi Utto, If the destination database server has the same name as your old database server, you don’t need to uninstall the old SQL Express server. This is a procedure for moving all Office SharePoint Server 2007 databases to an identically named database server. The new database server can differ in the following ways from the original server: · It runs a newer version of SQL Server—for example, SQL Server 2008 instead of SQL Server 2005. · It runs a newer version of Windows—for example, Windows Server 2008 instead of Windows Server 2003. · It is a 64-bit computer that runs a 64-bit operating system, instead of a 32-bit computer that runs a 32-bit operating system. If they have different names, the new database server must use the same version of Windows Server and SQL Server as the old database server. The link you mentioned didn’t mentioned the name and version of SQL server, we suggest that you test it before use it in product environment. For more information about moving all databases, please check the following article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc512725(office.12).aspx Thanks, Rock Wang TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.comRegards, Rock Wang Microsoft Online Community Support

Hi Utto, If the destination database server has the same name as your old database server, you don’t need to uninstall the old SQL Express server. This is a procedure for moving all Office SharePoint Server 2007 databases to an identically named database server. The new database server can differ in the following ways from the original server: · It runs a newer version of SQL Server—for example, SQL Server 2008 instead of SQL Server 2005. · It runs a newer version of Windows—for example, Windows Server 2008 instead of Windows Server 2003. · It is a 64-bit computer that runs a 64-bit operating system, instead of a 32-bit computer that runs a 32-bit operating system. If they have different names, the new database server must use the same version of Windows Server and SQL Server as the old database server. The link you mentioned didn’t mentioned the name and version of SQL server, we suggest that you test it before use it in product environment. For more information about moving all databases, please check the following article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc512725(office.12).aspx Thanks, Rock Wang TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.comRegards, Rock Wang Microsoft Online Community Support

Hi Utto, Did you have any questions about our reply? If so, please feel free to reply to the forum. Thanks, Rock Wang TechNet Subscriber Support in forum If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.comRegards, Rock Wang Microsoft Online Community Support