I am trying to copy a database from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2012 using copy wizard in my local machine where SQL Server 2012 is installed. But, the wizard is not detecting destination server. Source DB is on a network and Destination is my local machine itself.
When I select the destination server as my local machine, I am getting the below error:
TITLE: Copy Database Wizard
The destination server cannot be a SQL Server 2005 or later Express instance.
Does Copy Database wizard not support if 'source' is earlier than SQL Server 2005 ? But the error message says only about 'Destination'. Here my destination is SQL Server 2012 and Source is SQL Server 2000.
Best Answer
The supported upgrade path does not go directly from 2000 to 2012. You will have to have an intermediate step where you upgrade or restore those DBs to a 2005 or 2008 R2 instance. Once you've done that, you can upgrade to 2012 or take a backup of the DBs in 2005, then restore them on to 2012.
We are migrating to 2014 as my company is on 2005 SP3 right now.