An overview of upgrading database servers and geodatabases

When you install a new version of ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, or ArcGIS Server Workgroup edition, you can upgrade the geodatabases you have stored in your SQL Server Express instance (the database server).

You might also want to upgrade the SQL Server Express instance to a newer, supported SQL Server Express release. For example, if you started using database servers at the ArcGIS 9.2 release, your SQL Server Express instance did not include advanced services. When you upgrade to ArcGIS 10, you should upgrade to a SQL Server 2008 Express instance with Advanced Services.

As newer releases of SQL Server Express are supported, these installations are shipped with ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, and ArcGIS Server Workgroup edition. You can use these newer installations to upgrade your SQL Server Express instance.

Before upgrading the SQL Server Express instance or any geodatabases, create backup files of all geodatabases.