Downgrading from SQL Server 2014 to SQL Server 2012

• pmscorca

  SSCrazy

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  July 23, 2014 at 5:50 am

  #293688

  Hi,

  I need to know how I can downgrade to a SQL Server 2014 installation to SQL Server 2012.

  Thanks

• Eirikur Eiriksson

  SSC Guru

  Points: 182916

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  July 23, 2014 at 6:07 am

  #1731721

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  Hi,

  I need to know how I can downgrade to a SQL Server 2014 installation to SQL Server 2012.

  Thanks

  First suggestion would be to install the SQL 2012 alongside the SQL 2014, migrate the data and then remove the SQL 2014. For the migration, set the compatibility level to 2012, detach and attach to 2012 (simplified overview)

  😎

• pmscorca

  SSCrazy

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  July 23, 2014 at 6:16 am

  #1731727

  I need to downgrade a new SQL Server 2014 installation and so there aren't any user databases. SQL Server 2012 isn't more sold.

  Thanks

• Grant Fritchey

  SSC Guru

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  July 23, 2014 at 8:49 am

  #1731781

  Uninstall and reinstall. There is not a "downgrade" path for installations. If you don't have databases to worry about, it should be very quick.

  "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
  - Theodore Roosevelt

  Author of:
  SQL Server Execution Plans
  SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

• Sioban Krzywicki

  One Orange Chip

  Points: 27770

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  July 23, 2014 at 9:17 am

  #1731794

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  I need to downgrade a new SQL Server 2014 installation and so there aren't any user databases. SQL Server 2012 isn't more sold.

  Thanks

  If you don't have a copy of SQL Server 2012, just set the compatibility level on the databases to 2012 (ver. 11). Make sure you set the system databases to that too, especially "Model"

  --------------------------------------
  When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
  --------------------------------------
  It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
  What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
  You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

• Lynn Pettis

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  Points: 442467

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  July 23, 2014 at 9:24 am

  #1731800

  Eirikur Eiriksson (7/23/2014)

  ---

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  Hi,

  I need to know how I can downgrade to a SQL Server 2014 installation to SQL Server 2012.

  Thanks

  First suggestion would be to install the SQL 2012 alongside the SQL 2014, migrate the data and then remove the SQL 2014. For the migration, set the compatibility level to 2012, detach and attach to 2012 (simplified overview)

  😎

  Once a database is on SQL Server 2014 it is a SQL Server 2014 database regardless of compatibility level. You can't detach a database from SQL Server 2014 and attach it to SQL Server 2012. Just as you can't restore a SQL Server 2014 backup to SQL Server 2012.

• Eirikur Eiriksson

  SSC Guru

  Points: 182916

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  July 23, 2014 at 9:28 am

  #1731803

  Lynn Pettis (7/23/2014)

  ---

  Eirikur Eiriksson (7/23/2014)

  ---

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  Hi,

  I need to know how I can downgrade to a SQL Server 2014 installation to SQL Server 2012.

  Thanks

  First suggestion would be to install the SQL 2012 alongside the SQL 2014, migrate the data and then remove the SQL 2014. For the migration, set the compatibility level to 2012, detach and attach to 2012 (simplified overview)

  😎

  Once a database is on SQL Server 2014 it is a SQL Server 2014 database regardless of compatibility level. You can't detach a database from SQL Server 2014 and attach it to SQL Server 2012. Just as you can't restore a SQL Server 2014 backup to SQL Server 2012.

  Ouch:ermm: somehow I was thinking the other way around (and this is way passed the normal coffee excuse).

  😎

• pmscorca

  SSCrazy

  Points: 2349

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  July 23, 2014 at 9:30 am

  #1731804

  I explain better my question.

  I need to install SQL Server 2012 on a new database server.

  SQL Server 2012 isn't more sold and so I'm constrained to buy SQL Server 2014 for my customer.

  I know that I can downgrade from SQL Server 2014 to SQL Server 2012.

  I can think that this downgrade it isn't simply to set the compatibility level of the databases to put on

  the SQL Server 2014 instance but I can think that the database platform must function as a SQL Server 2012

  installation.

• Sioban Krzywicki

  One Orange Chip

  Points: 27770

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  July 23, 2014 at 9:32 am

  #1731809

  Lynn Pettis (7/23/2014)

  ---

  Eirikur Eiriksson (7/23/2014)

  ---

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  Hi,

  I need to know how I can downgrade to a SQL Server 2014 installation to SQL Server 2012.

  Thanks

  First suggestion would be to install the SQL 2012 alongside the SQL 2014, migrate the data and then remove the SQL 2014. For the migration, set the compatibility level to 2012, detach and attach to 2012 (simplified overview)

  😎

  Once a database is on SQL Server 2014 it is a SQL Server 2014 database regardless of compatibility level. You can't detach a database from SQL Server 2014 and attach it to SQL Server 2012. Just as you can't restore a SQL Server 2014 backup to SQL Server 2012.

  This is true, but if you don't have any copies of SQL Server 2012 you can install, this is as close as you can get. There's no "downgrade" feature in the installs or in the system.

  --------------------------------------
  When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
  --------------------------------------
  It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
  What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
  You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams

• Eirikur Eiriksson

  SSC Guru

  Points: 182916

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  July 23, 2014 at 9:35 am

  #1731811

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  I explain better my question.

  I need to install SQL Server 2012 on a new database server.

  SQL Server 2012 isn't more sold and so I'm constrained to buy SQL Server 2014 for my customer.

  I know that I can downgrade from SQL Server 2014 to SQL Server 2012.

  I can think that this downgrade it isn't simply to set the compatibility level of the databases to put on

  the SQL Server 2014 instance but I can think that the database platform must function as a SQL Server 2012

  installation.

  Quick search resulted in several options to buy SQL 2012

  😎

  

• Steve Jones - SSC Editor

  SSC Guru

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  July 23, 2014 at 9:37 am

  #1731812

  The "downgrade" is "downgrade rights. When a new version is released, such as SQL Server 2014, that is all that's being sold. When you buy the license, however, you can install any previous version and use that 2014 (very expensive) license against a 2012, 2008, etc installation. This is administrative only.

  If you install 2014, then you are stuck with 2014. You can set compatibility to 2012, but that just affects how the engine interprets the code and manages stats. The structure of the files is 2014, the backups use any changes 2014 has, etc.

  If you want to have 2012 or 2008 instead, you have to do as Grant noted. Uninstall 2014, reinstall the version you want.

• pmscorca

  SSCrazy

  Points: 2349

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  July 23, 2014 at 10:55 am

  #1731850

  I don't use the Retail channel to buy SQL Server.

  I repeat that I know that SQL Server 2014 has rights to downgrade.

  Simply, I want to know how technically I can downgrade a SQL Server 2014 installation

  to a SQL Server 2012 installation on a new database server that hasn't any databases.

  Thanks

• Lynn Pettis

  SSC Guru

  Points: 442467

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  July 23, 2014 at 11:22 am

  #1731860

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  I don't use the Retail channel to buy SQL Server.

  I repeat that I know that SQL Server 2014 has rights to downgrade.

  Simply, I want to know how technically I can downgrade a SQL Server 2014 installation

  to a SQL Server 2012 installation on a new database server that hasn't any databases.

  Thanks

  If you have purchased SQL Server 2014 for that server, properly licensed for the hardware and you have SQL Server 2012 media for the same edition as the SQL Server 2014 purchased, you can install SQL Server 2012 in its place. You cannot the install that copy of SQL Server on any other hardware. You could later upgrade that server from SQL Server 2012 to SQL Server 2014 with that copy.

  This is all opinion and not fact. To be sure contact your software provider or Microsoft to be sure.

• Eirikur Eiriksson

  SSC Guru

  Points: 182916

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  July 23, 2014 at 11:32 am

  #1731864

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  I don't use the Retail channel to buy SQL Server.

  I repeat that I know that SQL Server 2014 has rights to downgrade.

  Simply, I want to know how technically I can downgrade a SQL Server 2014 installation

  to a SQL Server 2012 installation on a new database server that hasn't any databases.

  Thanks

  No intention to be rude but have you looked at this site?[/url]

  😎

• Steve Jones - SSC Editor

  SSC Guru

  Points: 736494

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  July 23, 2014 at 11:34 am

  #1731867

  pmscorca (7/23/2014)

  ---

  I don't use the Retail channel to buy SQL Server.

  I repeat that I know that SQL Server 2014 has rights to downgrade.

  Simply, I want to know how technically I can downgrade a SQL Server 2014 installation

  to a SQL Server 2012 installation on a new database server that hasn't any databases.

  Thanks

  We've explained it to you. Uninstall, reinstall.

  there is no such thing as a way to downgrade an installation of SQL Server 2014 to SQL Server 2012 with computer commands.