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zata20
Starting Member
16 Posts |
 Posted - 2009-04-30 : 16:26:43
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| I have a question on a Service Pack installation.Recently, we started migrating the SQL Server 2000 to another server. Some are already live on the new server, some aren't, because we started having issues that related to the Service Pack issue.Basically, we did not apply the Service Pack before we started migrating databases...Old: 2000.8.00.760 SQL Server 2000 SP3New: 2000.8.00.194.0 SQL Server 2000 "gold" release, no SPWe are planning on upgrading the New server, but I have some concerns.If we upgrade the New server to either SP3a or SP4 (latest), wouldn't it cause issues?English is my second language, and the statement below is making me worried:"Installing SP3a modifies the master, msdb, and model databases, making them incompatible with pre-SP3 versions of SQL server."Does this mean that the databases from the old server (SP3) would be incompatible??Thank you in advance! |
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Skorch
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
300 Posts |
Posted - 2009-04-30 : 18:17:58
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| I think you'll be fine. Basically SP3 and SP4 will modify your database structure so that they will no longer work on pre-SP3 versions of SQL Server. However those databases that were pre-SP3 should still work on your newly-patched installation.Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the fire hydrant. |
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zata20
Starting Member
16 Posts |
Posted - 2009-04-30 : 18:41:43
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| wow, I understand now! Thank you very much for your clear explanation.But... what if the patch install goes wrong and you can't re-start the server and application?In this case, would I be able to restore from the complete backup? both System and User databases?Would the backup have to be taken right before the SP4 installation?Thank you again! |
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Skorch
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
300 Posts |
Posted - 2009-05-01 : 12:58:18
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| Taking a backup before doing any kind of major update is always a good idea. Your data will only be as fresh as your latest backup, so taking a backup right before the install is probably the best way to go about it. In case your update to SP4 does not succeed, you'll still be able to reinstall the older version of SQL Server and restore the backed-up databases. You could also attempt to reinstall SP4 again and then restore the databases from backup once the SP4 install goes through successfully.Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the fire hydrant. |
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zata20
Starting Member
16 Posts |
Posted - 2009-05-01 : 13:11:46
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| Hi, thank you for your reply again. I think I will go with SP3a this time, because I think this should fix the ACCESS_VIOLATION issues with some of the databases. Also, if SP4 does not fix for the databases we're migrating this weekend, we cannot go move back to the old server, which is at SP3.Are there any steps for the restore scenario? For example, restore System (full) first, then User databases? |
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Skorch
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
300 Posts |
Posted - 2009-05-01 : 13:22:37
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| Why not just go straight to SP4? I would skip SP3 altogether as SP4 is the latest patch for SQL Server 2000. That way you'll be up to date with the latest and not have to worry about upgrading from SP3 to SP4 later on.As for the restore procedure, definitely restore the system databases first.Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the fire hydrant. |
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zata20
Starting Member
16 Posts |
Posted - 2009-05-01 : 13:31:45
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| I'm just concerned about compatibility. We moved databases the new server, but for some of them, we were getting the ACCESS_VIOLATION errors. So we moved back the databases to the old server (SP3). We think that the Service Pack install on the new server will fix, but if it does not, we would have to move back the database from the new server to the old server. At that point, wouldn't the compatibility issue happen on the old server? The databases is business critical. But maybe I'm completely off the base here... Thanks again. |
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Skorch
Constraint Violating Yak Guru
300 Posts |
Posted - 2009-05-01 : 16:30:46
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| I would suggest you do a test install/move to the new server first, keeping the old server active in the meantime.Some days you're the dog, and some days you're the fire hydrant. |
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zata20
Starting Member
16 Posts |
Posted - 2009-05-01 : 17:32:51
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| We have like 12 of 15 databases already moved and live on the New server with no SP, which is a little strange. The rest of the databases caused the ACCESS_VIOLATION problem as we moved to the New server, so we had to move it back to the old server. I think I will install either SP3a or SP4 on the New server, then migrate those 3. If I install SP3a, migrate, and still cause the same issue, we can move it back to the Old server (SP3) without any possibility of compatibility issue. Thank you! |
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tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
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zata20
Starting Member
16 Posts |
Posted - 2009-05-01 : 17:41:06
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| OK thank you. But does it have to be the latest? Wouldn't SP3a suffice? But if this issue is definitely due to the lack of Service Pack, and won't cause the same issue after migrating these databases, I would have no problem installing SP4. Again, thank you very much for your suggestions.. I'm only a newbie. |
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tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess
38200 Posts |
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Can anyone help me?