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I am in the process of a test upgrade from 2010 to 2013. I have set up a new test farm and I want to start attaching databases to the test farm but I have a few questions I can't figure out.

What database should be attached first? I have a WSS_Content DB I have been trying to attach, as it seems most of the content from the 2010 farm lives there.

Secondly I have encountered errors about a KWiz calendar add on in the 2010 farm. When I attach the DB, I can't access the default web app after due to the KWiz add-on missing from the 2013 farm.

I don't want to purchase an add-on for 2013 because I think I can use built in tools to get the calendars to overlay, so how can I remove the references to this tool from my content DB? Do I have to remove the add on from the 2010 farm? I have a twitter add on that is also giving upgrade errors but I don't think this is as severe. Or can I remove those references to the add on from the database?

I don't have any ideas aside from manually pulling the content from the 2010 farm, one file at a time and re-creating it on the 2013 side, if I can't attach the content DB.

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When upgrading to SharePoint 2013 from 2010, you can choose to move only your content databases or you can upgrade some of your old services as well. The services that you can upgrade is the following:

  • Secure Store service application
  • Business Data Connectivity service application
  • Managed Metadata service application
  • User Profile service application
  • PerformancePoint Services service application
  • Search service application

However i think the most common approach is to set up a new 2013 environment and configure the services and then attach the content databases only.

While preparing for an upgrade, it's a good move to look things over that are no longer needed and remove them from SharePoint. As you mention you got several custom web parts installed in your 2010 environment that you don't longer need. The errors you are receiving is because they're simple not deployed in your 2013 farm, but is still referenced in your old database. Before attaching a db, it's required to install all custom solutions to your new farm before doing the upgrade. Or remove them.

To get rid of your error, you could either delete the web part(s), deactivate any custom features, and then uninstall and remove your custom solutions. Powershell is excellent for this. If you are unsure of what custom solutions that is deployed to your farm you can type: get-spsolution

To Uninstall a solution, type the following: ( Be sure to remove all the web parts first. )

Uninstall-Spsolution -identity "yourCustomSolutionName".wsp

and after that remove the solution.

Remove-Spsolution -identity "yourCustomSolutionName".wsp

To be sure that you got a "clean" database you can use the test-spcontentdatabase command.

Test-Spscontentdatabase -name wss_content

On the other hand, you could deploy your old 2010 solutions to your 2013 farm to remove them from there as well. If you don't have your WSP solution file left, you can download it from your 2010 farm. I do not recommend this approach however. It's always best to clean up before an upgrade. (Take note that they will probably not work.) 

$farm = Get-SPFarm
$file = $farm.Solutions.Item("yourCustomSolutionName.wsp").SolutionFile
$file.SaveAs("C:\folder\yourCustomSolutionName.wsp")

Then add the solution to your 2013 farm:

Add-SPSolution -LiteralPath c:\yourCustomSolutionName.wsp

Then install it, after that you should be able to clean up old references. Be sure to uninstall it from both the directories after.

Install-SPSolution -Identity yourCustomSolutionName.wsp -GACDeployment -CompatibilityLevel {14,15}

And before mounting the database to a new web application, make sure to test it.

Some additional advices:

  • Always take a copy-backup of the database to upgrade, newer detach the original one.
  • Be aware that if you are using Windows Authentication in 2010, you have to migrate to claims as it's the new standard in 2013.
  • There's lots of script on the internet to remove missing references, however what they're doing is to directly remove references from the database, and Microsoft do not support under any circumstances to modify a database manually.

Upgrade service applications to SharePoint 2013

Migrate from classic-mode to claims-based authentication in SharePoint 2013

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  • Spent my last two months with this only so i thought i could share some of it that i found really useful. :)
    – Christoffer
    Commented Jul 2, 2014 at 16:56
  • I would like to add the tables I found the references in dbo.features dbo.solutions dbo.webPartLists dbo.allWebParts dbo.featureTracking dbo.eventReceivers dbo.allDocs dbo.AllLists
    – ryangillis72
    Commented Jul 17, 2014 at 19:05
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As You said, you dont want to use Kwiz solution in 2013.

  • You have to remove/ uninstall that solution in 2010 completely. this way all refrence from content database gone.
  • I highly recommend you to remove the twitter add-on as well. make it clean migration.
  • Once you removed both then run the test-spcontentdatabase to check the potentail issue.
  • If nothing then simply move the database to 2013 farm and mount to the web application.
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  • OK, thanks. Is the content DB the first to attach? Just want to make sure I am going in the right order.
    – ryangillis72
    Commented Jul 1, 2014 at 21:54
  • What you mean by 1st to attach....Once you removed the solutions in 2010 n copy the database to new 2013 farm yes then you have to attach it
    – Waqas Sarwar MVP ♦
    Commented Jul 1, 2014 at 22:48

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