Microsoft SQL Server Internal Database Versions and Compatibility Levels

A database created by a more recent version of Microsoft SQL Server cannot be attached or restored to an earlier version. This restriction is there because an older version cannot know about file format changes that were introduced in the newer release.

If you attempt to attach a database to an earlier version, you will get SQL Server error 948 with the internal version numbers listed in the error message text:

-- Attaching SQL2019 database to SQL2017
CREATE DATABASE Database2019
ON (FILENAME = N'C:\SqlServerData\Database2019.mdf'),
   (FILENAME = N'C:\SqlServerData\Database2019_log.ldf')
FOR ATTACH;
Msg 1813, Level 16, State 2, Line 1
Could not open new database 'Database2019'. CREATE DATABASE is aborted.

Msg 948, Level 20, State 1, Line 1
The database 'Database2019' cannot be opened because it is version 904.
This server supports version 869 and earlier. A downgrade path is not supported.

The internal database versions for SQL Server aren't clearly documented in the Microsoft documentation. To get the internal database version, you can use one of the following:

SELECT DATABASEPROPERTYEX(N'YourDatabaseName', 'Version');
-- Column DatabaseVersion
RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = N'C:\backups\Database.bak';
-- Column status: search "Version="
EXEC sp_helpdb;





SQL Server Version Internal Database Version Database Compatibility Level Supported Database Compatibility Levels
SQL Server 2022 RTM 957 160 160,150,140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2022 RC 1 950 160 160,150,140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2019 CTP 3.2 / RC 1 / RC 1.1 / RTM 904 150 150,140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2019 CTP 3.0 / 3.1 902 150 150,140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2019 CTP 2.3 / 2.4 / 2.5 897 150 150,140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2019 CTP 2.1 / 2.2 896 150 150,140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2019 CTP 2.0 895 150 150,140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2017 868 / 869 140 140,130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2016 852 130 130,120,110,100
SQL Server 2014 782 120 120,110,100
SQL Server 2012 706 110 110,100,90
SQL Server 2012 CTP1
(a.k.a. SQL Server 2011 Denali)
684 110 110,100,90
SQL Server 2008 R2 660 / 661 100 100,90,80
SQL Server 2008 655 100 100,90,80
SQL Server 2005 SP2+
with VarDecimal enabled
612 90 90,80,70
SQL Server 2005 611 90 90,80,70
SQL Server 2000 539 80 80,70
SQL Server 7.0 515 70 70
SQL Server 6.5 408 65 65
SQL Server 6.0 406 60 60

Legend: ? = still investigating, RTM = Release to manufacturing, SPn = Service Pack n, CTP = Community Technology Preview (beta release).


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