Looks like this is working although there's problem with one table, I try to investigate this further.

Error messages:

Explicit value must be specified for identity column in table 'HistoryRows' either when...

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  markomironoff.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  markomironoff.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  markomironoff.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  markomironoff.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by  markomironoff.

Thank you,

it looks like you cannot initialize from a backup using SSMS GUI so this looks promising also:

https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2012/08/05/initialize-a-transactional-replication-from-a-database-backup/

I did some further study on this. Data is not synched.

1. restore proddb to newdb (from last night's full backup)
2. create subscription (proddb=publisher, newdb=subscriber)

newdb Local Subscriptions - view synchronization status:...

Sorry... this error was because I had configured this newdb as a distributor and a publisher earlier for another tests. Removed those and it seems my subscription is running.

thanks,

did this again, now with initialize

1. restored the newdb from last night proddb backup
2. added subscription to the newdb (publisher:proddb), didn't uncheck initialize

Replication Monitor -> My Publishers -> newdb ->...