How To Resolve 'SQL Server Compatibility'

HOW TO RESOLVE 'SQL SERVER COMPATIBILITY' ERROR UPON DATABASE RESTORE

Problem Scenario:

Upon database restore, user may encounter the error below:

Resolution(s):

The error prompted because the database's SQL version where it has been backed up is different from the SQL version where the user is trying to restore the database, such as database's SQL version is 2012 and user is trying to restore in a server that is only compatible to SQL version 2008.

To verify SQL versions, go to SQL Server Configuration Manager. If not possible to search using Start Menu, try one of these commands:

• SQLServerManager10.msc - for SQL Server 2008
• SQLServerManager11.msc - for SQL Server 2012
• SQLServerManager14.msc - for SQL Server 2017

If one of these commands have successfully opened the SQL Configuration Manager, that is the SQL version installed in the computer.

If the SQL Configuration Manager can be found on Start Menu, and user needs to verify the SQL version of the database instance, follow below procedure:

1. Open SQL Configuration Manager

2. Right-click on SQL Server (QNEBSS) service and click Properties

3. Under "Advanced" Tab, locate the "File Version" field

If the version is 2010.xxx.xxxx.x, the SQL version is 2008

If the version is 2011.xxx.xxxx.x, the SQL version is 2012

If the version is 2017.xxx.xxxx.x, the SQL version is 2017

Both computers where the backup has been created and the computer to be used for restoring the backup must have the same SQL version.