Replication - SQL Server 2000 - Service Pack 4

Hi,
I am considering upgrading to SQL Server service pack 4 and would just like
to clarify.
In the readme file for SP 4 if find the following:
“Note If an instance of SQL Server is not part of a replication topology,
you can back up a user database and restore it on any other release of SQL
Server 2000.”
Does this mean that I will not be able to restore a user database from a
instance running SP3 to a instance running sp 4 if it is part of a
replication topology? And if this is the case is there a workaround? Like a
script that upgrades the user databases to sp 4?
Scenario: Two environments: testing and production. I upgrade test to SP4
and then restore user databases from production (sp3). Replication is used
both in test and production, so the restored user databases that are involved
in replication will not longer work, because they are from an instance that
is sp3? Right?
Many Thanks,
Nina
You cannot restore a backup of a replicated database from a different version
of SQL Server 2000. This is because replication updates user databases
(rather than just system databases) when the service pack is applied, and a
restored SP3 database may have replication metadata that is incompatible with
SP4 replication. User databases participating in a replication topology must
be online and accessible during upgrade to SP4 so that updates can be made.
I'm not sure if there is a separate script just to update user databases to
SP4, it may be part of the overall replication upgrade scripts. At any rate,
the recommended process is to let SP4 Setup perform the upgrade.
Glenn Gailey
SQL Server User Education
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Nina" wrote:

> Hi,
> I am considering upgrading to SQL Server service pack 4 and would just like
> to clarify.
> In the readme file for SP 4 if find the following:
> “Note If an instance of SQL Server is not part of a replication topology,
> you can back up a user database and restore it on any other release of SQL
> Server 2000.”
> Does this mean that I will not be able to restore a user database from a
> instance running SP3 to a instance running sp 4 if it is part of a
> replication topology? And if this is the case is there a workaround? Like a
> script that upgrades the user databases to sp 4?
> Scenario: Two environments: testing and production. I upgrade test to SP4
> and then restore user databases from production (sp3). Replication is used
> both in test and production, so the restored user databases that are involved
> in replication will not longer work, because they are from an instance that
> is sp3? Right?
> Many Thanks,
> Nina
>