Will SQL 2000 work in 2008 domain?

February 25, 2009 8:33 PM

Nerdlinger/Microsoft Server Filter: Can SQL 2000 exist in a Windows 2008 Domain when installed on a Windows 2000 member server ? Before anyone says it, yes, yes I know it's old, outdated, unsupported, we should be using SQL 2005 or looking at SQL 2008 and that it can't be installed on a Windows 2008 server. BUT... does anyone know if SQL 2000 will work when installed on a Windows 2000 server that is a member of a Windows 2008 domain? I know that Windows 2000 servers can be members of a 2008 domain but Exchange 2000 won't work. Will SQL 2000?
posted by Man_in_staysis to computers & internet (13 comments total)

According to this, sql 2005 is supported, but only sql2005sp2. I'd say probably no on the sql 2000 then.
posted by 8dot3 at 9:23 PM on February 25

Is that article saying only SQL 2005 and up can be installed on a Windows 2008 server?. I want to install SQL 2000 on a Windows 2000 server which is a member of a 2008 domain.

I saw that article as I searched around but sadly, it gives details about running Exchange 2000 in a 2008 domain but no mention of SQL 2000 on a W2K member server.
posted by Man_in_staysis at 9:35 PM on February 25

Sorry, as soon as I hit 'post' I realized that it was saying sql2005 on a 2008 server was okay, which totally doesn't answer your question at all. (Sorry.) Let me look a little bit more.
posted by 8dot3 at 9:37 PM on February 25

Exchange wont work because of strange dependencies and schema changes. I can't see why SQL 2000 wouldn't install. We have a 2003 domain with a Windows 2008 server we just brought up and SQL Server 2k is still running just fine.
posted by SirStan at 9:47 PM on February 25

I doubt SQL Server 2000 would run on a Windows 2008 server though :).
posted by SirStan at 9:48 PM on February 25

I just have concerns about issues with authentication and data reliability etc...
posted by Man_in_staysis at 10:21 PM on February 25

I think Exchange 2000 wouldn't work in a 2008 domain because of incompatible Active Directory stuff. But SQL2000 doesn't have the same AD stuff -- it's mostly a "standalone" application with regards to AD.
posted by indigo4963 at 6:55 AM on February 26

I neglected to say -- yes, SQL2000 will install and work fine on a Windows 2000 server in a Windows 2008 domain.
posted by indigo4963 at 6:56 AM on February 26

I might be wrong about this, but I assume that many Windows 2008 servers will be 64 bit, because Exchange 2007 requires it, and even if it's not a mail server, supposedly because it's the "last 32 bit operating system."

There's a 64 bit version of SQL 2000. No worries.
posted by HopperFan at 8:30 AM on February 26

Oh, crap - sorry, I read the question too fast. So, on your Windows 2000 server, this suggests that you might be fine, but it needs further testing.
posted by HopperFan at 8:37 AM on February 26

And also, this guy did the testing to see how SQL 2000 runs on Windows 2008, and even though there's all the "SQL2K has lost support from Microsoft. We all know it is marked with "compatibility" issues with Win2k8." stuff out there, he got it to work.

So...if it works on 2008, seems to me that running it on a 2000 server as part of a 2008 domain would also work.
posted by HopperFan at 8:49 AM on February 26

Thanks Hopperfan.

I saw those articles in my travels however, they don't seem to provide any definitive answer. Also it looks as though Microsoft are not going to supply one except to say SQL 2000 is not supported. The thing is, not supported does not mean , doesn't work. It just means you're on your own.

My hunch is that it is going to work but it looks as though we're going to need to do some testing.

I just really do not want to have to upgrade to Ex 2007, AD 2008, Server 2008 and SQL 2008 all at the same time.
posted by Man_in_staysis at 3:31 PM on February 26

Indigo, do you have any documentation on that? I'd love to read anything you have.
posted by Man_in_staysis at 3:33 PM on February 26