Hello everyone,

Need to move a DNN portal from an existing 2005 sql express installation (development) into production SQL 2000 server.

Can anyone pointed me in the right direction on how to go about it. Does a backup and restore will work? Detach/Attach? What will be the less painfull approach to take?

Thanks,

Framirez

Chris is correct, in spite of what I've read on the internet, with DNN in particular, I found no such luck.

I have tried it, but it wasn't through any other reason except the client who gave me the DB told me it was sql 2000 when in fact it was sql express 2005. (1 hour killed)

Even though I downloaded the management tool for sql 2005/express, and used the function to allow compatibility 80, which is an option, it never attached correctly to sql 2000. (another 1 hour killed)

What I was able to do though was create the DB on 2000 server, then use the import function and bring the data back to 2000 in a blank db, then I imported into the other db as required.. (lost the day on that one)

And after doing that I found the developers had changed the core user tables somewhat and that didn't really help, but in your case, you could try this method. (yep.. another three  hours)

The other method, which personally I think takes less time, is to log into the sql express site, export the data through the Host/Portals, then, ensure on a new build that the modules and skins are in place, and then copy that template over to the new site, and use the Site Wizard under the Admin/Wizard page, and try to bring the data back that way. (my problem was it wouldn't work when the site was delivered)

Why do I say this - because that's how I ended up working on this site, and.. after importing the data and sites, I found not only had the core been changed, but the tab IDs as well... and we won't go there, but the site is running and we're just putting it all back together on SQL2000 atm.

Hope this gives you an insight from 'hands on experience'  (which I never asked for in the first place)

Nina Meiers
My Site  -  My Blogs  - Goodies - 28 Free DNNSkins - Nina's Free Skins

Best scenario is that you just copy over the database and brute force copy over all the files in the dnn install, tweak the connection string in web.config, and fire it up. none of this import/export stuff. (not that that isn't useful, but I'm talking about best case scenario for the whole shebang).

But you need to move from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2000, so there's your hitch.

Take a look at Evotiva BackupScript ... it will copy your entire database out to sql scripts rather than a native SQL backup file ... not sure what tweaking you might have to do, if there is any 2005 specific stuff in these files, but I think not. I note that one of the users on Snowcovered commented that he initially got this module for the purpose of such a downgrade script from 2005 to 2000.

You then would create a database in SQL 2000, and run these scripts, and all your tables, constraints, data, stored procs, etc, should be created for you.

Note that I am not speaking from actual experience with Evotiva but I'm looking at using it as a backup strategy, and thought of your situation when reviewing it.

Looks like it gets very high comments/reviews.