Can't restore databse on Microsoft SQL server management studio

Question

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Restore of database 'AdventureWorks2019' failed. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.RelationalEngineTasks)

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Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.RelationalEngineTasks.RestoreDatabaseTaskFormComponent.PerformTask(ITaskExecutionContext context)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.RelationalEngineTasks.RestoreDatabaseTaskFormComponent.Perform(ITaskExecutionContext context)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.TaskForms.TaskExecutionManager.ExecuteTaskSequence(ISfcScriptCollector collector)

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System.Data.SqlClient.SqlError: The database was backed up on a server running version 15.00.2000. That version is incompatible with this server, which is running version 13.00.4001. Either restore the database on a server that supports the backup, or use a backup that is compatible with this server. (Microsoft.SqlServer.SmoExtended)

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For help, click: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&ProdVer=16.100.47008.0&LinkId=20476

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Program Location:

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.RestorePlan.Execute()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.RelationalEngineTasks.RestoreDatabaseTaskFormComponent.PerformTask(ITaskExecutionContext context)

Answer 1

The database was backed up on a server running version 15.00.2000. That version is incompatible with this server, which is running version 13.00.4001.

You got a clear error message. The backup comes fro a newer SQL Server version; it's not backwart compatible and you can restore a backup from a nwer SQL Server version to an older one.

Answer 2

SQL Server backup which is made in higher version (SQL Server 2019 ?) is not compatible with lower version of SQL Server. What is the result of SELECT @@VERSION?

Answer 3

Option 1: create a .bak and restore.

However, with this option 1, it's not always possible to downgrade a SQL database backup from a higher version to a lower one.

Here are other options you could try:

Option 2: You can export the source database as scripts (i.e DDL and DML) and then run the scripts on the destination database.

Note: DDL statements are used to create database, schema, constraints, users, tables etc. DML statement is used to insert, update or delete the records

Option 3: Upgrade the source database and then take a backup and restore the backup on the destination database.

Let me know if this works for you?