Evaluation period has expired

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Evaluation period has expired

walid97

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Points: 262
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July 20, 2008 at 9:16 am

#194172

Hello,
I installed SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Evaluation edition on my server, now I got following error...“Evaluation period has expired”. As a result, my progrzm using SQL Enterprise Evaluation can no longer work! (CA Unicenter Service Desk).
I got a licensed SQL Server Standard edition from Microsoft. How can I "upgrade" from the evaluation period to the licensed one? I need to keep Service Desk database (mdb) intact, without any change..
How can I do this, please advice.
Thank you.

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Vidhya Sagar SSCrazy Eights Points: 8216 More actions · Answer 1

[font="Verdana"]Checkout the link below and try the steps for standard edition too.

Upgrading SQL2005 Evaluation to Enterprise Edition Without Uninstalling[/font]

Regards..Vidhya Sagar
SQL-Articles

Ken Simmons SSCertifiable Points: 7822 More actions · Answer 2

I have always had to uninstall and reinstall if the evaluation has already expired.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914158

walid97 SSC Veteran Points: 262 More actions · Answer 3

Ken Simmons (7/21/2008)

I have always had to uninstall and reinstall if the evaluation has already expired.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914158%5B/quote%5D

Thank you,

I read that can backup the whole: c:\program files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data", then uninstall the evaluation version, then re-install the licensed version of SQL, then copy these files to the fata folder of the new installation.

Here's the Microsoft Tech document concerning this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914158

Is that the only solution? Will this solve my problem? Do the files in the Data folder contain everything needed (Will I be able to take over as if nothing happened?), please advice.

Ken Simmons SSCertifiable Points: 7822 More actions · Answer 4

You should still be able to connect to the expired server from another instance. I would connect and take a full backup of ALL the databases including the system databases. Make a note of the current version, because before you restore the system databases you will need to get to the exact same version. Stop the current instance and copy all the .mdf and .ldf files to a new location. Install the new copy of SQL, make sure it is updated to the same version you noted before. Stop the instance and copy all the old .mdf and .ldf files to the old location and restart the instance. When the instance starts all of the datafiles should reattach. I would also make a copy of the new datafiles before overwriting them with the old ones just in case. Also, make sure you install on the same drive as the old install or you will have problems because the pointers in the old msdb will be incorrect.

Can anyone think of anything else?

slam-727014 SSC Enthusiast Points: 116 More actions · Answer 5

I just found this post after facing a similar problem.

I rolled back the date on the server so that the SQL service would start, then I ran the skuupgrade command, after that i patched sql server with service pack 2. Everything looks ok so far, won't really know until users start using the system tomorrow.

Fingers crossed I don't have futher problems.