How can I solve "A SharePoint database named [xxx] already exists" when upgrading from SharePoint 2003 to 2007?

Question

I am trying to upgrade a SharePoint 2003 web application to MOSS 2007 through the database attach method.

I am following these steps as outlined by Microsoft:

• Create web application in MOSS 2007 and a new content database
• Restore the 2003 backup in the new 2007 content database
• Run the command "stsadm -o addcontentdb -url [url] -databasename [databasename] -databaseserver [databaseserver]"

In this last step, I am getting the error, "A SharePoint database named [databasename] already exists. You must supply another name for the new database." which makes no sense to me.

What could be the cause of this problem? Do you know of any workarounds? Thank you so much.

Answer 1

It appears that when you created the new web application and database that it is already attached. If that is the case, then running the command will fail, you cannot add a content database that is already added. To check to see if this is the case, you can go into Central Adminsitration and view the content databases that are attached to the web application. You can upgrade the databases without having to restore them into a different content database. You can take the 2003 database and attach it directly to the web applicaiton using that command, and it will upgrade the database while attaching.

Answer 2

In response to your update, when you add a content database and there are no new sites showing, it typically means that there are multiple content databases with a site in the same location. This most frequently happens with the root site collection.

For example, you create a web application, content database and provision a root site collection to test it. You then attach another content database which also includes a root site collection. It will let you attach the db, but will not recognize the site until the 1st site collection or content database is removed.