Installing SQL Server 2005 alongside 2000

  • I have an existing 2000 install with a named instance. I would like to install 2005 alongside and create a new named instance with the same name as the 2000 named instance.

    Is that possible, or even though there are two different versions on the same server they still have to have distinct names?

  • They would have to have distinct names. Otherwise SQL Server or your applications would not know what instance to connect to.

  • I don't think you can even install with the same named instance if one is down and the other running. I think you need a unique name at all times.

  • Steve Jones - Editor (4/27/2009)


    I don't think you can even install with the same named instance if one is down and the other running. I think you need a unique name at all times.

    That is correct. If you have to have the same instance name, you could perform an in place upgrade of the sql 2000 instance once you are sure your app will work with 2005. Why do you need the instance names to be the same?

  • I'm upgrading an app which was previous;y sql server 2000 but the new version requires 2005. The default instance has db's and has many sp's that retrieve data for in house reporting apps. The previous developer used linkedserver.db.dbo.object in all the sp's to connect between instances. I'm not looking forward to changing all the procs to the new instance name, nevermind the code.

  • Here is an article that show how to perform an in place upgrade. You basically install SQL Server and it will upgrade your 2000 instance to 2005. Make sure you have some good backups, the only way to get back to 2000 is to reinstall.

    http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6036309.html

    Here is some good pointers on the different kinds of upgrade methods.

    http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/SQLExamples/Wiki/View.aspx?title=Upgrading%20Steps%20to%20SQL%20Server%202005&referringTitle=Home

  • Ideally you'd do this with a separate server, and test it completely to be sure it's working. A virtual server is a great place to do this.

  • Instead of modifying all of the code to use a different linked server - modify the linked server to point to the new instance.

    You can't do this through the GUI - but you can script it out and modify the datasource to point to the new instance name. This will keep the linked server name the same so you don't have to modify the code.

    I would recommend that you start looking into synonyms in SQL Server 2005 to make this issue much more manageable. By using synonyms, you can create a new linked server - drop and recreate the synonyms and all code would still work because it is referencing the synonym.

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