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 From 32 to 64 - will OS disk swap work...??

Author  Topic 

Lumbago
Norsk Yak Master

3271 Posts

Posted - 2009-08-14 : 04:45:13
Hi,

I'm going to upgrade from 32 to 64-bit architecture on one of our production sql servers during the weekend, and I'm basically planning to just swap the c-drive raid disks. The new disks have been installed with 64-bit Win2k3 and 64-bit SQL2005 SP3 on an identical server so everything should be the same except for the fact that I don't have any data disks mounted on the "test" server.

My question is this: can I detach the 32-bit databases, swap the c-drive disks, boot the machine, and then attach the database files again in the new 64 bit sql server? Or will I have to do a complete backup/restore...? Unfortunately I don't the possibility to test the entire process in advance (I will of course do a complete backup regardless).

- Lumbago

GilaMonster
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4507 Posts

Posted - 2009-08-14 : 06:08:05
Database file structure is identical across 32/64. You can detach from one and attach to the other without worry.

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP
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Lumbago
Norsk Yak Master

3271 Posts

Posted - 2009-08-14 : 06:12:21
Thank you for the confirmation Gail

- Lumbago
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afrika
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

2706 Posts

Posted - 2009-08-14 : 14:16:35
we upgraded and just restored the db from a 32bit 2005 instance to a 64bit 2008 instance
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tripodal
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

259 Posts

Posted - 2009-08-14 : 15:33:19
You can test the process using backup / restore at anytime you have the resources to perform a full backup.

Detaching db's is risky. If you use backup / restore and anything goes wrong with the new server. You haven't actually changed anything on the original server. Leaving with you a simple hard drive swap to get backup 100%.

I much prefer hardware issues to software issues.
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Lumbago
Norsk Yak Master

3271 Posts

Posted - 2009-08-17 : 05:05:22
Last night we tried to replace the disks and everything seemed to be working great until it was time to connect the disk array with the detached databases. The 64 bit OS was running just fine but the data disks showed up as unallocated in Disk Management and the initialize disks wizard appeared. I did of course have a backup available on another server but our service window was approaching quite fast so I didn't have time to copy the database files and do a restore, and I didn't know what would actually happen if I initialized the disks. My questions are this: would an initialization of the disks wipe the data? Do any of you know how I could connect them without wiping the data? A restore would of course work but I'm just curious basically...

- Lumbago
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