Update Database Version

[BrianToussaint]

I'm currently on Windchill 10.2 with SQL Server 2008.  My goal is to get to Windchill 11.0 with SQL Server 2014 or 2016.

My question is, how do I upgrade the databse, either before I do the Windchill upgrade or during the Windchill upgrade?  The problem I am having is that when I go to import my backup from 2008 to either 2012 or 2014, it will not show as a viable choice to be chosen during a restore.  I know that I have to be missing something simple.

Thank you,

Brian

[BenLoosli]

Is one of the newer versions of SQLserver supported with Windchill10.2?

Since SQLs 2008 is not supported with WC11, I would do the upgrade to the DB first.

Search the knowledge base for other articles on the upgrade.

https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS214130&art_lang=en&posno=1&q=upgrade%20sql%20server&source=search

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb677622(v=sql.110).aspx

[BrianToussaint]

I've seen that one and it makes no sense because you cannot install Windchill 11 with SQL 2008 installed.  So I do not understand how you perform the upgrade first.  I want to go the route of doing the SQL upgrade to 2012 first, it is in the compatability matrix.  But if you do an upgrade to the SQL database through Microsoft and then use the conversion utility, only the Windchill database updates and not the main databases.  This then causes issues when you try to add family table items to your workspaces.

[BenLoosli]

Since I don't run SQLServer, not sure what you mean by 'main databases'.

The SQL DB should contain all of youir metadata and pointers to your vault files.

I would think this path should work:

1) Check-in all work and remove all user workspaces.

2) Migrate your 2008 data to a 2012 instance of SQL Server.

3) Test 10.2 with the data on 2012.

4) Upgrade to Windchill 11.

5) Test WC11.

[BrianToussaint · Accepted solution]

I found out two things that were why I could not see my backup from SQL 2008 when I tried to import it into SQL 2012 or 2014.  First for some reason the backup file did not have the .bak on the end of the file.  Second, you have to move the backup file out of the 2008 backup location to the backup location in 2012/2014.  You cannot browse for it out of the know backup location.  So once I added the .bak and moved it to the correct location I could see the file to import.  So I am going to try to do it as part of the upgrade process so I can do it all at once and not have to do it piecemeal.  Hopefully this will help someone else out there.