2005 databases will likely run without problem once upgraded to 2012 - but you won't be able to take those databases back to a 2005 server and run them once you've upgraded them. The issues are here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms144256.aspx - especially the link at the bottom for backward compatibility issues.
You can also run multiple instances of the database - different versions - on the same machine. That might be your best choice. On Thu, Sep 13, 2012 at 7:35 PM, Mike Kear <afpwebwo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Sorry for asking an OT question, but I've been asking around Microsoft (at > least 10 different people in MS Support, and in Partner services) for > more than a week and after all this time not a single MS person will even > attempt to answer this question .... > > If i install a SQL Server 2012 product, (any level - Express or up to > Enterprise ) how compatible is it with SQL Server 2005 databases? > > The reason I ask is I'm building new laptops for development, based on > Windows 7 Pro OS, and want to install up to date software if i can. But > my major client uses SQLServer 2005 as his production database. Therefore > any machine I build has to be capable of developing SQL2005 databases. > > Does anyone here know the answer? Or else can anyone point me towards > someone who could tell me? > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/message.cfm/messageid:352607 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-talk/unsubscribe.cfm
