Move database from SQL Server 2012 to 2008

Question

I have a database on a SQL Sever 2012 instance which I would like to copy to a 2008 server. The 2008 server cannot restore backups created by a 2012 server (I have tried).

I cannot find any options in 2012 to create a 2008 compatible backup. Am I missing something?

Is there an easy way to export the schema and data to a version-agnostic format which I can then import into 2008?

The database does not use any 2012 specific features. It contains tables, data and stored procedures.

Here is what I have tried so far

I tried Tasks → Generate Scripts on the 2012 server, and I was able to generate the schema (including stored procedures) as a SQL script. This didn't include any of the data, though.

After creating that schema on my 2008 machine, I was able to open the "Export Data" wizard on the 2012 machine, and after configuring the 2012 as source machine and the 2008 as target machine, I was presented with a list of tables which I could copy. I selected all my tables (300+), and clicked through the wizard. Unfortunately it spends ages generating its scripts, then fails with errors like "Failure inserting into the read-only column 'FOO_ID'".

I also tried the "Copy Database Wizard", which claimed to be able to copy "from 2000 or later to 2005 or later". It has two modes:

1. "Detach and Attach", which failed with error:

   Message: Index was outside the bounds of the array.
   StackTrace:    at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.PropertyBag.SetValue(Int32 index, Object value)
   ...
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.DataFile.get_FileName()
   

2. SQL Management Object Method which failed with error

   Cannot read property IsFileStream. This property is not available on SQL Server 7.0."

Answer 1

Right click on the database in the 2012 SQL Management Studio, and choose "Tasks -> Generate Scripts". Click past the welcome screen, choose "script entire database and all database objects". On the "specify how scripts should be saved" page, click "advanced". Under "General" in the pop up properties page, change "Types of data to script" from "Schema only" to "Schema and data", and change "Script for Server Version" from "2012" to "2008".

I then had to find some way to edit the start of this massive SQL file, to tweak how the database would be created -- see this q: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/102829/best-free-text-editor-supporting-more-than-4gb-files

And finally I had to find some way to run the SQL script, which was too large to open in SQL Management Studio -- see this q: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/431913/how-do-you-run-a-300mb-ms-sql-sql-file

Answer 2

For SQL migrations, use the free and open source SQL Database Migration Wizard.

I had a 5GB database with couple ~10 million records and tried the route via Generate Script and than ran it with sqlcmd.exe. First of all, the generated script was not always working correct. Secondly, sqlcmd.exe can fail on large files too, complaining about available memory. osql.exe works, but just takes ages (and has the same command line arguments).

Then I came across a wonderful tool for migrating SQL Server to SQL Azure databases. This works for SQL Server to SQL Server as well, for example if you'd like to migrate a SQL 2012 database to 2008 R2. It uses bcp.exe, which uses bulk copy. There is a GUI and command-line (Batch) version available and it's open source. See http://sqlazuremw.codeplex.com/. In my case, the operation took 16 minutes.

In an advanced screen you can select that your target is SQL Server, not SQL Azure.

Answer 3

I'm new to SQL, but I managed to migrate from 2012 to 2008. To do so I used the SQL import and export utility. I chose the SQL 2012 server and the database I want to migrate and finally the 2008 server and created a new database as my database of destination. It worked.

Answer 4

Try APEXSQL tools. They have a tool that will script the database and script the data also.

Answer 5

After creating that schema on my 2008 machine, I was able to open the "Export Data" wizard on the 2012 machine, and after configuring the 2012 as source machine and the 2008 as target machine, I was presented with a list of tables which I could copy. I selected all my tables (300+), and clicked through the wizard. Unfortunately it spends ages generating its scripts, then fails with errors like "Failure inserting into the read-only column 'FOO_ID'".

The problem is that it is not able to insert the ID columns, so:

1. Select all the tables by ticking them
2. Select all the tables (the way to do this is click on the first one and hold shift and click on the last table)
3. Click on "Edit Mappings" - you can see that just above the next button and next to preview .
4. You will get a window, tick on the "Enable identity insert" and then click next and go ahead, this should work. It worked for me.

Answer 6

I followed Rich's solution https://superuser.com/a/469597/312310 above and it worked great! Thanks - I can't vote up yet in here!

The extra steps I had to do to get this to work are:

• Change the logical file names and ensure the path is correct. I also had to change the generated log name, else it tried to overwrite the mdf file with the log and then threw this error https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7534664/sql-server-script-error-database-is-already-in-use

  CREATE DATABASE [xxxxx] ON PRIMARY ( NAME = xxxxx', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\xxxxx.mdf' , SIZE = 14400KB , MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED, FILEGROWTH = 1024KB ) LOG ON ( NAME = N'xxxxxldf', FILENAME = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\xxxxx_log.ldf' , SIZE = 18560KB , MAXSIZE = 2048GB , FILEGROWTH = 10%) GO

• I had to comment out the generated section and add the user permissions manually afterwards

  USE [xxxxx]
  GO
  /****** Object:  User [xxxxx]    Script Date: 30/11/2014 12:44:07 ******/
  CREATE USER [xxxxx] FOR LOGIN [xxxxx] WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA=[dbo]
  GO
  sys.sp_addrolemember @rolename = N'db_owner', @membername = N'Umbraco'
  GO
  sys.sp_addrolemember @rolename = N'db_datareader', @membername = N'Umbraco'
  GO
  sys.sp_addrolemember @rolename = N'db_datawriter', @membername = N'Umbraco'
  GO
  

Ran it up, and lo and behold I can now restore my new Umbraco 7.1.2 database to my web server that only has SQL Server 2008 R2!

Answer 7

Have a look at xSQL Schema Compare and xSQL Data Compare. You can first synchronize the schema with schema compare and then copy the data.

Disclaimer: I'm affiliated with xSQL.