Downgrade SQL Server 2022 to SQL Server 2019

Question

We just purchased SQL licensing for 32 cores at 2,500 per month, 1 year. We have the media to download for SQL2022; however, we need SQL Server 2019 in order to make our application work. How do we go about downgrading the instance? We have an activation key for 2022. No media for 2019. How can we do this?

Answer 1

Hi @Sculimbrene, Paula

When purchasing SQL Server 2022, Microsoft also provides you with the right to downgrade to SQL Server 2019 or SQL Server 2017. This downgrade is called downgrade rights and gives Microsoft users the right to use prior released versions of a particular software without having to purchase these versions.

For detailed information about the license issue, you can call 1-800-426-9400, Monday through Friday, 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. (Pacific Time) to speak directly to a Microsoft licensing specialist. Or you can go to Volume Licensing Service Center support. Please choose region/language and choose to call or have web.

Best regards,

Cosmog Hong

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Answer 2

You can not install SQL Server 2019 with a 2022 product key; the key is bound the product version.

Why does you app don't work with SQL Server 2022; I wonder about?

Answer 3

if you have already installed SQL 2022, you cannot downgrade the instance, but you would need to uninstall that instance to install 2019. Or you would install SQL 2019 as a second instance on the machine.

The same applies to the database. If you have attached it to SQL 2022, you cannot roll it back to SQL 2019, but you would have to restore a backup taken on SQL 2019. If you cannot do this due to data loss, you will have to do something like extract the database with a Bacpac and then restore that on SQL 2019.

It is not clear why you application does not support SQL 2022, but one possibility could be to run on SQL 2022, but with compatibility level 150.