I've answered too many of these incorrectly because I didn't read the question carefully and tried to assume facts that weren't mentioned.

This question didn't mention that a full backup was...

This was my first PASS also. Good recommendations, I seem to have followed most of them. Except maybe #16, but there were some vegetarian lunches left when I...

I tried to recreate your problem based on the information given and it concatenates the columns without error.

You'll need to post the DDL so prople can understand the problem.

That should work fine. Your publisher/distributor is already on a higher version so you don't have to worry about them.

You shouldn't have to re-publish when you are...

By default, SQL 2005 makes you create an SA password. You have to specify if you want it blank.

Service packs - yes.

Hotfix - Only if it applies to a problem you are having with the tools.

I believe an 18456 with state 16 = No permissions for target database or target database offline.

I had the same problem yesterday. I found two solutions on the net but I'm not sure which one led to my ultimate success.

1. Try using a domain...

The question says "you want to check for problems in the error log".  To me errorlog is the error log, errorlog.1 is the old errorlog.  If I want to check "the...

Thanks to everyone who replied.  I didn't know this would spark such a discussion. 

The vendor is going to change their code (they have to if they expect it to...

I just tried it in 2005 and it actually does work.  Our production server is 2000 though so they need to make it work there.

Also, check to make sure you don't have 'auto close' set on your databases.

In SQL 2005 and SQL 2000 SP3 and later, sp_change_users_login does create a login if it is missing, so there is no need to have to script all logins and...

If you are planning an in-place upgrade, you will need to be at SP3a or better.  So you will eventually have to apply the SP.

It is cluster aware.  Apply it to the active node.  It will prompt you for login information and will apply the fix to all.  The login must be admin. on...