Working with Instances and Versions of SQL Server
Multiple instances in Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 offer enhanced ways to work with earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server already installed on your computer. You can leave previous installations intact, and also install and run SQL Server 2000. For example, you can run SQL Server version 7.0 and a named instance of SQL Server 2000 at the same time, or you can run SQL Server version 6.5 in a version switch configuration with SQL Server 2000. If you need to have three different versions of SQL Server installed on the same computer, there are several ways to accomplish this.
In addition, users of all editions of SQL Server can have more than one instance of SQL Server 2000 installed and running at once (multiple instances), as well as one or more earlier versions.
Considerations for using SQL Server 2000 in combination with previous installations include:
- Using SQL Server 6.5 with the default instance or named instances of SQL Server 2000.
- Running SQL Server 7.0 with a named instance of SQL Server 2000.
- Working with three versions of SQL Server: SQL Server 6.5, SQL Server 7.0, and SQL Server 2000.
Note The concept of the default instance is new to SQL Server 2000, due to the introduction of multiple instances. If installed on the same computer as SQL Server 2000, either SQL Server version 6.5 or SQL Server version 7.0 can function as default instances of SQL Server. (A default instance is identified by the network name of the computer on which it is running.) For more information, see Working with Named and Multiple Instances of SQL Server 2000.
Using SQL Server Books Online for SQL Server 7.0
When you keep Microsoft SQL Server version 7.0 on your computer and install a named instance of SQL Server 2000, SQL Server Books Online for SQL Server 7.0 remains in its original location: C:\Mssql7\Books. In this side-by-side configuration, Books Online for SQL Server 7.0 remains accessible from the start menu in the SQL Server 7.0 program group.
Note This is an exception to what occurs for the other shared tools (such as code samples, scripts, and templates), when a named instance of SQL Server 2000 is installed along with SQL Server 7.0. All other shared tools from the 7.0 installation are copied to storage locations, with pointers to the SQL Server 2000 tools replacing previous versions of the tools. Files for Books Online for SQL Server 7.0 are not redirected in this way -- they remain ready for use.
When SQL Server 7.0 is upgraded to the default version of SQL Server 2000, the 7.0 Books Online files are also upgraded. That is, they are replaced with the SQL Server 2000 Books Online.
Whether you have SQL Server 7.0 installed or not, you can access information in the SQL Server 7.0 documentation. For more information, see How to access SQL Server Books Online for SQL Server 7.0.
See Also
Using SQL Server 6.5 with SQL Server 2000
Running SQL Server 7.0 Along with a Named Instance of SQL Server 2000