Restore Problem SQL Server Version?

Question

Hi,

I am getting following error.

Restore failed for Server

I have recently upgraded SQL Server 2005 Express to SQL Server 2008 Express.

• I have taken a Backup on Production Server, having SQL Server 2008
• Backup was good and I tried restoring Backup on Production Server, that works great.
• Than I downloaded that backup file in .Zip format with FileZila Software (And that is good too).
• But when I tried to restore that file I am getting following error.

Restore failed for Server

An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)

------------------------------ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The media family on device 'C:\go4sharepoint_1384_8481.bak' is incorrectly formed. SQL Server cannot process this media family. RESTORE HEADERONLY is terminating abnormally. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3241)

For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&ProdVer=09.00.4053&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=3241&LinkId=20476

Things I tried which didn't worked

Attempt 1 Try to take backup using following command

BACKUP DATABASE go4sharepoint_1384_8481 TO DISK='C:\HostingSpaces\dbname_jun14_2010_new.bak' with FORMAT

And tried restore that file.

Attempt 2 Somebody wrote to test Version of my SQL Server. When I tried to run following command in SQL Server 2008

Select @@Version

It is giving following output Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - 9.00.4053.00 (Intel X86) May 26 2009 14:24:20 Copyright (c) 1988-2005 Microsoft Corporation Express Edition on Windows NT 6.0 (Build 6002: Service Pack 2)

My Production Database is in SQL Server 2008, and I am trying to restore DB in SQL Server 2008 but above version is showing as if i am using SQL Server 2005.

Any idea how can I restore SQL Server 2008 DB.

Many Thanks.

Answer 1

You cannot restore a backup from a higher SQL Server version on a lower version - this has never been able in SQL Server.

If you have a SQL Server 2008 backup, you can only restore that on a SQL Server 2008 (or later) machine - but not on a 2005 box. No trick, no workaround, no way to do it.

Answer 2

Is it possible that, instead of upgrading your 2005 instance to 2008, you instead installed 2008 side-by-side with 2005, and you're connecting to your existing 2005 instance? Look for other instances on your machine.

Answer 3

Make sure it is installed correctly - in your program files\microsoft sql server directory there whould be a 100/150 folder. Check out the install log in setup bootstrap\log.