Evaluation Expired!

  • Just over six months ago I installed the CTP version of 2008, fully understanding that this was an evaluation edition and was likely to start squarking at some stage. What I didn't expect wast to find that, after a two week holiday, I'd be locked out of eveything. I simply get a message telling me to go to the howtobuy page, which doesn't actually exist. Hardly surprising as the product is not yet released.

    To make matters worse, Microsoft say there is absolutely nothing they can do. I have six months evaluation work tied up in that database, most of it is backed up but even that needs a new 2008 installation to restore it to. That I can do, with a bit of sweat and a fewtears but what I really woould like is to be able to restart the 2008 installation I have. Then I can access the last few hours work that I rushed through before I headed off on holiday.

    Any help would be much appreciated.

  • Have you tried downloading RC0? It's the latest publicly available pre-release version. AFAIK, the CTPs have hardcoded expiry dates in them. It makes sense as they are just for testing.

    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=35f53843-03f7-4ed5-8142-24a4c024ca05&DisplayLang=en

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • As far as the latest changes you made, if you stop the SQL Service (if it actually starts), you should be able to copy the mdf and ldf files to another server and attach them.

  • Thanks guys.

    I tried RC0 a couple of times but it wouldn't install because of the 2005 Express Tools (?).

    I've now installed it without any shared services and I'm getting the following message:

    Failed to retrieve data for this request. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.EnumeratorCore)

    Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo.UnSafeInternals.ManagementUtil.EnterMonitor(System.Object) (Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.EnumeratorCore)

  • I used a beta 2, two different CTP builds, and RC0 and had trouble with the uninstalls of all of them. It may take some work to get your in-place server uninstalled and re-installed.

    I would recommend you install on a new server, copy your mdf and ldf files, and attach them.

  • Michael Earl (7/30/2008)


    I used a beta 2, two different CTP builds, and RC0 and had trouble with the uninstalls of all of them. It may take some work to get your in-place server uninstalled and re-installed.

    I'll only install beta products on machines I can afford to wipe and reinstall. Typically that means they go into a virtual, since I don't have a lot of test machines lying around.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • That's exactly what I do also, but I always try the uninstall anyway - just to see what happens.

  • I'm using a machine dedicated to this SQL 2008 evaluation. VMs do not provide a genuine real worl experience, whatever Microsoft say. Yes I can uninstall and reinstall, or create a brand new machine for the purpose but what I'm uncomfortable with is the idea that after moving the files to a new machine, will they work? I've never tried this before. It's going to take a fair amount of effort to set up the new environment, how confident are you Michael?

    Thanks again.

  • Look up sp_Attach_db in books online. It is common practice to attach a database from another instance. I do it regularly. I have not tried to detach a database from a CTP version of SQL 2008 and attached it to an RC0 instance. It is possible that it will have some kind of upgrade problem when doing this, but it seems highly unlikely.

  • You just mentioned detached. (Well last night anyway.) I have detached and attached many times as part of my evaluation. In this case aren't they detached. Microsoft say sp_Attach_db only works if sp_detach_db is used. Is that not true?

  • Maybe. 🙂

    If you detach a db you can attach it (providing there's no corruption) If you shut the DB down cleanly, move the files and attach, you will probably be able to attach them. It's not a certain, 100% guarantee though.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Looks like it's the only way then. I had even thought of trying to install the original CTP and changing my sytm clock back a few months but that's extreme and I have no idea what that might do to the log file.

    Thanks again.

    I'll let you know how I get on.

    :w00t:

  • You should be able too copy you DB files to a new installation and do a direct attach. You don't have to detach the db on the expired installation. You can even attach the DB without the log file in a worse situation.

  • Hoorah! It worked.

    A fresh install of Server 2003 R2 with SP2, A brand new install of SQL 2008 RC0 and the attach worked a dream.

    Thanks for your help.

    Jon

  • jon.hart (7/30/2008)


    I'm using a machine dedicated to this SQL 2008 evaluation. VMs do not provide a genuine real worl experience, whatever Microsoft say. Yes I can uninstall and reinstall, or create a brand new machine for the purpose but what I'm uncomfortable with is the idea that after moving the files to a new machine, will they work? I've never tried this before. It's going to take a fair amount of effort to set up the new environment, how confident are you Michael?

    Thanks again.

    Heh... have you tried changing the system date to a previous date??

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

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