How to upgrade sql 2008 to sql 2008 r2 on cluster server 5.1 ?

[acki4711]

Hi all,

Have e sql server 2008 up an running in a active/passive 5.1 cluster server setup.
How to upgrade sql 2008 to sql 2008 r2.
Former upgrade path was:

    upgrade node 1,
    switch to node 2, 
    upgrade node 2

But upgrading sql 2008 to r2 upgrades the system and users db's as well. So after upgrading first node and switching to 2nd node sql server won't start anymore??

Please advice

TIA
D. Ackermann

[eu22106]

TIP.

Not being a DBA I heard from our DBA's that in this case SQL is wise enough to see the difference and "downgrades" accordingly.  So it is able to switch between these "modes". You might look into this.

Ivo

[acki4711 · Accepted solution]

OK, the problem is, after upgrading the first node and switching to the 2nd node sql server service is not starting anymore (and upgrade rule tries to do this).

As a workaround I did the following:

- saved system db files
- upgradet first node
- nodeswitch to 2nd node
- delete (or save) the 'new' system db files
- replaced the new system db files with the ones saved in first step
- upgraded 2nd node
 

HTH
Cheers acki