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We are preparing to migrate from WSS 3.0 to 2010. WSS is currently on a x86 operating system, so migrating to a x64 operating system will be involved as well. My co-worker's thought is to turn up a new x64 2008 server (using VMWare), turn up Foundation on that server and then migrate and attach the content databases and configuration database from our old front-end to the new one.

Is this even possible? Can you migrate the configuration database along with the content databases?


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2 Answers 2

No, you cannot migrate a configuration database. You absolutely can migrate the content, though. Your only option would be to move to 64 bit hardware that is added to the WSS 3.0 farm, and remove the 32 bit servers, then do an in-place upgrade to maintain the same configuration database.

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I didn't think you could. Thank you for the suggestion, it sounds like the best option if we decide we need to keep the configuration database. –  Tklarsen Oct 20 '11 at 17:19

Probably, but you'll get lots of headaches, and is really a waste of time.

The content databases are what's valuable. Build the farm in your normal way, then attach the content DB from WSS and run the upgrade process on it.

Here's more info from TechNet on how to do a database attach upgrade: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc303311.aspx

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Just to clarify, James is only partially right. As Lori said, you can only migrate the content datbases, the configuration databases cannot be migrated to SharePoint 2010 at all. –  John Ferringer Oct 20 '11 at 17:22
Thank you as well, for confirming what I suspected. I wasn't sure how important the configuration database would be. It does sound like a database attach upgrade would be the simplest way to go. –  Tklarsen Oct 20 '11 at 17:24
In general, Configuration databases are a lot like The Highlander: "There can be only one"...per farm. If you're going the database attach route from 2007 to 2010, you have to have a farm that you can attach your databases to. That means the farm already has a config db, so you can't attach a 2007 config db to that farm. –  John Ferringer Oct 20 '11 at 19:28
I had a long conversation with Microsoft about this and they said that, while there are a number of ways that you can move a config database, there is not a supported way. Many of the ways to move a config database make it look like it worked, but it in fact did not work and you will now spend weeks troubleshooting all of the bizarre ways that your farm will fail only to eventually have to rebuild your farm. Long story short, don't migrate the config db. –  Dave Wise Oct 20 '11 at 19:30
Well, or do it if you are A: a masochist, B: have plenty of free time, C: enjoy pointless and thankless tasks, D: dislike the person who has to fix the server ;) –  GMasucci Dec 17 '13 at 14:29

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