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I'm trying to attach a SQL Server .mdf to my Management Studio 2014, but I get the error:

Attach database failed for Server '...\SQLINSTANCE'. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo)

Additional information:
     An exception occured while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch.
     (Microfost.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)
          The database 'DatabaseName' cannot be opened because it is version 706. This server supports version 663 or earlier. A downgrade path is not supported.
Could not open new database 'DatabaseName'. CREATE DATABASE is aborted. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 948)

The .mdf was created on SQL Server 2012 (which presumably is represented as 'version 706' in the error message).

OK, so I need to upgrade my DB engine to 2012 on my home PC. That means installing 2012 Express from https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=29062

A couple of questions though before I do that. By installing 2012, would it be added to Management Studio 2014 automatically? Would I then have both 2008 & 2012 as options for new databases I might want to create, or would 2012 simply replace 2008?

On the download page, it says the supported OSs are "Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2, Windows Vista Service Pack 2". But I'm using Windows 10. Is this just a case of MS not updating the page or does 2012 really have a problem with Windows 10?

EDIT: It's true that this question is similar to ones previously asked on SO (such as The database cannot be opened because it is version 706), but here I'm not contemplating rolling back the 2012 version of the DB to 2008, but issues pertaining to installing 2012 on my home PC.

Community
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Stuart Newbridge
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  • Possible duplicate of [The database cannot be opened because it is version 706](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/36499731/the-database-cannot-be-opened-because-it-is-version-706) – Ken White Apr 19 '16 at 12:49

1 Answers1

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So, your SQL Server version is 2008 - you have 2014 management studio and you need to use a database from a server version 2012.

If that is the case; then I hope some of the following will help:

Windows 10 can run SQL Server 2012 fine. The documentation might just not be updated, but I've not personally seen any issues on multiple instances.

Management Studio 2014 can connect to SQL Server version 2012 as well. You don't need to install it again.

Unless you wish to remove SQL Server 2008, you'll need to install 2012 as a new instance, so you basically have two SQL Servers running. This however, will have affect on how you connect to the databases. Check out, for example: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143531.aspx for more information

So instead of having multiple instances, consider whether you'll still need 2008, so it might be removed if you don't need it at all.

Also - consider whether it might be worth it to upgrade your local instance to newer version - 2014 for example. However this of course might give you the same problem in reverse in the future, if you ever need to make a database on 2014 instance and move it to a 2012 instance. It all depends on the actual requirements, set-up and development models. Basically because you say it's your home computer, I'd think the newest version might just be the best approach, as you're less likely to use that version as a "creator" rather than a development version.

Allan S. Hansen
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  • Thanks for responding. You're right that I chose 2012 because I'd like to keep the possibility of transferring the DB back to the work server. 2014 is undoubtedly a better version, if only to get rid of the annoying identity increment cache thing, but flexibility is more important to me. I went for an upgrade to 2012 rather than hanging on to old 2008 as a separate instance. Anyway, it all installed nicely (apart from me forgetting my own sa password - now remembered!) and I've got my application working nicely on this localhost. – Stuart Newbridge Apr 19 '16 at 17:06