SharePoint 2010 – SQL Server has an unsupported version 10.0.2531.0

I am trying to perform a database attach upgrade to SharePoint Foundation 2010.

At this point I am trying to attach the content database to a Web application by using Windows Powershell:

Mount-SPContentDatabase -Name <DatabaseName> -DatabaseServer <ServerName> -WebApplication <URL> [-Updateuserexperience]

I am following the directions from this TechNet article: Attach databases and upgrade to SharePoint Foundation 2010.  When I go to mount the content database I am receiving this error:

Mount-SPContentDatabase : Could not connect to [DATABASE_SERVER] using integrated security: SQL server at [DATABASE_SERVER] has an unsupported version 10.0.2531.0. Please refer to “http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=165761” for information on the minimum required SQL Server versions and how to download them.

At first this did not make sense because the default SharePoint Foundation 2010 website was running just fine.  But then I realized that the default SharePoint Foundation site runs off of SQL Server Express and that I had just installed SQL Server Web Edition (since the database is greater than 4GB) and restored the database to this version of SQL Server.

Checking the documentation link above I see that SharePoint Server 2010 requires a 64-bit edition of SQL Server with the minimum required SQL Server versions as follows:

  • SQL Server 2008 Express Edition Service Pack 1, version number 10.0.2531
  • SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3 cumulative update package 3, version number 9.00.4220.00
  • SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 cumulative update package 2, version number 10.00.2714.00

    The version of SQL Server 2008 Web Edition with Service Pack 1 (the version I installed on this machine) is 10.0.2531.0.

    SELECT @@VERSION:
    Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP1) - 10.0.2531.0 (X64)   Mar 29 2009 10:11:52   Copyright (c) 1988-2008 Microsoft Corporation  Web Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.1 <X64> (Build 7600: ) (VM)

    But I had to read the article several times since the minimum version number for SQL Server Express is 10.0.2531.0.  At first I thought I was good with the version of SQL Server 2008 Web that I had installed, also 10.0.2531.0.  But then I read further to see that there is a cumulative update (hotfix) for SQL Server 2008 SP1 (NOT the Express edition) that is required for SharePoint 2010 and will bump the version number to 10.0.2714.00.

    So the solution was to install the Cumulative update package 2 for SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1 on my SQL Server 2008 Web Edition to allow SharePoint 2010 to work with SQL Server 2008 (other than the SQL Server 2008 Express version).

    SELECT @@VERSION (After installing Cumulative update package 2):
    Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP1) - 10.0.2714.0 (X64)   May 14 2009 16:08:52   Copyright (c) 1988-2008 Microsoft Corporation  Web Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.1 <X64> (Build 7600: ) (VM)

    • 9 Comments

    • Thanks mate! Just the problem I had. Keep up the good work.

    • Dear Jeff,
      Thanks for this usefull information and help. I had download the the Required Update and when I applied it on my SQL Server it says no update Required. So Tell me how can I upgrade it.

      My SQL Server's info is as below.
      Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP1) - 10.0.2531.0 (X64) Mar 29 2009 10:11:52 Copyright (c) 1988-2008 Microsoft Corporation Enterprise Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.0 (Build 6002: Service Pack 2)

    • Hi Rai kashif,
      The version number is not the updated one so most likely the hot fix has not been applied. Make sure you grab the correct hotfix which is the "SQL_Server_2008_SP1_Cumulative_Update_2" one.
      -Jeff

    • Dear Jeff,
      Yes you are right. I had downloaded the Cumulative update no 4 and installed it and now I successfully complete the installation of SharePoint Foundation 2010.

      After Installing said update my SQL version details are as below.

      Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP1) - 10.0.2740.0 (X64) Oct 24 2009 15:50:23 Copyright (c) 1988-2008 Microsoft Corporation Enterprise Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.0 (Build 6002: Service Pack 2)

    • Thanks for the pointer, I needed exactly that. I can't believe the headache for such a stupid thing

    • Currently, cumulative update pack #7 is already available for SQL Server 2008 SP1. Downloadable from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979065/en-us

    • Hi i am trying to install sharepoint 2010.i cm configuring server farm.this is the version of sql

      Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP1) -
      10.0.2531.0 (X64) Mar 29 2009 10:11:52
      Copyright (c) 1988-2008 Microsoft Corporation
      Enterprise Edition (64-bit) on Windows NT 6.1 (Build 7600: ) (VM)

      i am not able to install hotfix.
      It gives me error object reference is not set to instance.
      can u pls help me ...

    • Thanks for the article - cumulative update also worked for me.

    • tnx buddy this worked like medicine....

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