The database server which our sharepoint installation is currently using is going to be shutdown and a new one is going to be put in production. I read in some post that the configuration database cannot be moved (while the same operation type is documented for content database). Is this correct? Isn't there a way by which I can modify my current moss installation to define the use of another sql server for configuration (and then later for content) databases? Any other workaround or procedure? Thank you! Alberto

I am sorry, but I don't have a solution for this. However, I do have some first hand knowledge of what we are going through. We moved our database from a test server to a production server. We went into Central Admin and changed the settings necessary. What we are experiencing now is Sharepoint is still searching for the "lost" database on the other server. MOSS 2007 is running fine, except the logs are building and builiding because it says it can't find the Sharepoint_Config database on the test server. I have yet to figure out where to change this setting. I've looked in the databases and see where it is referenced, but I don't dare delete any records in there. Some weird anomalies have arisen. I can not get any Alerts to run. I thought this was due to rights, but I think it has to do with these database errors. I hope this has given you some insight. Maybe someone will post with a fix for all of this. I can'tunderstand whymoving the databases around from one server to another should be such a big deal. Thanks, Matt

I still haven't tried it, but I've been told by a collegue that the move should be done using the stsadmin comand, like so: stsadm.exe -o setconfigdb -connect -ds Server1 -dn Server1_collab -du User1 -dp password These the datils of the command. stsadm.exe -o setconfigdb [-connect] -databaseserver <database server> [-databaseuser <database user>] [-databasepassword <database user password>] [-databasename <database name>] [-exclusivelyusentlm] [-farmuser] [-farmpassword] [-adcreation] [-addomain <Active Directory domain>] [-adou <Active Directory OU>] I'll post if it will help when I will be able to try it.

Thanks for your reply. I am not quite ready to try this command either. I am worried about whether it will take my site down if it is not correct. Let me know what you encounter. If I am able to try it after hours, I will let you know. Thanks, Matt

when i install sharpoint at the first time i install it on trail version of sql server , and now i wanna to change the server to the new server , i move all the database using the restore with new configration option and the database become in the new server , i ask if the configration DB stcuk on the first server and we cant move it to any server , i dont think so , sure there is way . any body can help ?

Did you tested this? Do you have any known issues when moving moss 2007 database from SQL 2005 to 2008? Please advice

Move all databases to a different database server Prepare the new database server by using the Prepare the database servers procedure.Record which Web applications are associated with the SSP by performing the following steps: On the SharePoint Central Administration Web site, on the Application Management page, in the Office SharePoint Server Shared Services section, click Create or configure this farms shared services.Record the associated Web applications that are listed on the Manage This Farms Shared Services page. Back up an SSP by performing the following steps: On the drive on which SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.If you do not already know which node you want to back up, type the following command: stsadm -o backup -showtree To back up an SSP, type the following command: stsadm -o backup -directory <UNC path> -backupmethod full -item <SSP name> where UNC path is the UNC path (\\server name\folder name) of the backup folder and where SSP name is the name of the SSP that you want to back up. All databases associated with the SSP will be automatically included in the backup. Repeat these steps for each SSP that you want to back up. Remove the SSP by performing the following steps: On the disk on which Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies is installed, change to the following directory: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\Microsoft shared\Web server extensions\12\Bin.To remove an SSP, type the following command, and then press ENTER: stsadm -o deletessp -title <SSP name> -deletedatabases -force where SSP name is the name of the SSP that you want to remove. To detach the SSP content database from the SharePoint farm, type the following command, and then press ENTER: stsadm -o -deletecontentdb -url <URL> -databasename <database name> where URL is the URL of the Web application from which the content database will be detached and database name is the name of the content database to be detached. Repeat steps b and c for each SSP. Delete the SSP content databases. Start SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the database server.In Object Explorer, expand Databases.Right-click an SSP content database, point to Tasks, and then click Delete.On the Delete Object page, check that the database you want to delete is highlighted, and then click OK.Perform steps c and d for each SSP content database. Stop the farm by performing the following steps: On the server that is running the Central Administration Web site, in the Services snap-in, stop the following services: Microsoft Single Sign-On serviceOffice Document Conversions Launcher serviceOffice Document Conversions Load Balancer serviceOffice SharePoint Server Search serviceWindows SharePoint Services Administration serviceWindows SharePoint Services Search serviceWindows SharePoint Services Timer serviceWindows SharePoint Services Tracing serviceWindows SharePoint Services VSS Writer service On the server that is running the Central Administration Web site, at the command prompt, type iisreset /stop.Repeat step 6 on each server in the farm. Back up the databases on the source database server. Start SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the database server.In Object Explorer, expand Databases.Right-click the configuration database (usually named SharePoint_Config), point to Tasks, and then click Back Up.In the Back Up Database dialog box, in the Source area, select the type of backup that you want to perform from the Backup type list. For more information about which backup type to use, see Overview of Recovery Models (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=114396&clcid=0x409) in the SQL Server 2005 Books Online.Click Database.In the Backup set area, in the Name text box, type a name or use the default.In the Description text box, type a description of the backup.Specify how long the backup should be kept, or use the default. When the backup set expires, the backup set can be overwritten by any subsequent backups that have the same name. By default, the setting for the backup set is 0 days so that it never expires.In the Destination section, specify a location to store the backup set, or use the default. 10. Click OK to back up the database. 11. Repeat steps c through j for the remaining databases in the farm. In Windows Explorer, locate the database backup (.bak) files that you want to move, and then copy or move them to the destination server Important: In some environments, this step must be performed by the database administrator. Move only the backup files to the destination database server. Do not move any databases or other files at this time. Restore databases on the destination database server. Start SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the database server.In Object Explorer, expand Databases.Right-click the database that you want to restore, point to Tasks, point to Restore, and then click Database.In the Restore Database dialog box, specify the destination and the source, and then select the backup set or sets that you want to restore. The default values for destination and source typically suit most recovery scenarios. In the Select a page pane, click Options.In the Restore options section, select only Overwrite the existing database. Unless your environment or policies require otherwise, do not select the other options in this section.In the Recovery state section: If you have included all the transaction logs that you must restore, select RESTORE WITH RECOVERY.If you must restore additional transaction logs, select RESTORE WITH NORECOVERY.The third option, RESTORE WITH STANDBY, is not used in this scenario. Click OK to complete the restore operation.Repeat steps c through h for each database that you are restoring. Use SQL Server to copy to the destination server the logons for all service accounts, including SQL Server logins, fixed server roles, fixed database roles, and permissions for the databases.Refer the farm to the new database server by creating a SQL Server connection alias. Start the SQL Server Native Client Network Utility (%SYSTEM%\cliconfg.exe).On the General tab, verify that TCP/IP is enabled.On the Alias tab, click Add. The Add Network Library Configuration dialog box appears. In the Server alias box, enter the name of the current instance of SQL Server.In the Network libraries area, click TCP/IP.In the Connection parameters area, in the Server name box, enter the new server name and instance to associate with the alias, and then click OK.Repeat steps a through f on all servers that connect to SQL Server. Start the new farm by performing the following steps: In the Services snap-in, start the following services: Microsoft Single Sign-On serviceOffice Document Conversions Launcher service (optional)Office Document Conversions Load Balancer service (optional) Office SharePoint Server Search serviceWindows SharePoint Services Administration serviceWindows SharePoint Services Search serviceWindows SharePoint Services Timer serviceWindows SharePoint Services Tracing serviceWindows SharePoint Services VSS Writer service (optional) At the command prompt, type iisreset /start. Repeat steps a and b on each server in the farm. Restore an SSP to the new location. To obtain the backup GUID for the specific backup that you want to restore, type the following command, and then press ENTER: stsadm -o backuphistory -directory <UNC path> where UNC path is the path to the shared folder that contains the backup. To restore a database, type the following command, and then press ENTER: stsadm -o restore -directory <UNC path> -restoremethod new -backupid <GUID from backuphistory> -newdatabaseserver <SQL Server instance> where UNC path is the UNC path of the backup shared folder, GUID from backuphistory is the GUID for the specific backup package that you want to restore, and SQL Server instance is the name of the SQL Server instance where the SSP databases should be restored. Repeat this step for each SSP that you want to move. Important: By default, the first SSP to be restored becomes the default. Perform this step if you want to assign a different SSP as the default. Configure a restored SSP to be the default SSP: On the SharePoint Central Administration Web site, on the Application Management page, in the Office SharePoint Server Shared Services section, click Create or configure this farms shared services.On the Manage This Farms Shared Services page, click Change Default SSP.On the Change Default Shared Services Provider page, select the SSP that you restored from the SSP Name list, and then click OK. Deepesh Yevle MCTS