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I want to detach a database from a 32bit Microsoft SQL 2005 environment and attach it to a 64bit Microsoft SQL 2008 environment.

Microsoft says:

The SQL Server on-disk storage format is the same in the 64-bit and 32-bit environments. Therefore, attach works across 32-bit and 64-bit environments. A database detached from a server instance running in one environment can be attached on a server instance that runs in another environment.

I was just wondering if there would be any limitations since the database was created in a 32bit environment?

Should I just bite the bullet and create a new database in SQL 2008 64bit and migrate the data, or can I get away with detaching and attaching?

Mark Henderson
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Jason Lamoreux
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2 Answers2

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Go ahead and do the detach/attach. I've done it many times with no problems. Like the article says, the storage layer is the same so there's nothing to worry about between the 32-bit and 64-bit editions.

squillman
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The limits have to do with the SQL Server itself and its memory management (RAM usage, etc.). As far as the database itself, it seems that the database files themselves are the same format between the 64-bit and 32-bit system.

djangofan
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