How to Move Microsoft SQL Server Compact to Another Computer? [Ultimate Guide for 2024]

"I'm not very computer literate, and I thought I could just move my SQL Server Compact to my new computer, but I have no idea how. Does anyone here know how?"

- Asked by a Quora user

Are you like the user above, looking to move Microsoft SQL Server Compact to a new computer? If so, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll delve into how to migrate Microsoft SQL Server Compact to another computer. Keep reading to find the method that suits you best!

About Microsoft SQL Server Compact

How do I move a SQL Server Compact database to another computer?

We have already discussed what is SQL Server Compact and why you might need to move it to another computer, but now we should know how to move Microsoft SQL Server Compact to a new computer. So, we have listed two of the best methods to move Microsoft SQL Server Compact to a new computer below.

How to Migrate MySQL Database to SQL Server | Step-by-Step Guide

This article offers three methods to convert MySQL to SQL Server, including using Server Migration Software and SQL Server Migration Assistant tools. Keep reading to learn more solutions for migrating a MySQL database to SQL Server.

Method 1: Move SQL Server Compact using the Todo PCTrans Tool

The preferred and recommended way to move SQL Server Compact is by using the Todo PCTrans tool. Todo PCTrans is the most renowned PC to PC migration program, fully compatible with SQL Server Compact, but you must download it on both computers first.

It transfers applications, files, data, programs, settings, user accounts, and server databases. Todo PCTrans can share any of this content automatically between multiple computers. Moreover, the tool has some notable extra features. Here are some of the main functions of this data transfer utility:

• No Data Loss: Todo PCTrans ensures that no data is lost during the transfer process.
• User-friendly: The software features a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy to use even for beginners.
• Fast Transfer Speed: The transfer process is quick and efficient, saving you time and effort.
• File Transfer without Internet: With Todo PCTrans, you don't need an active internet connection to transfer files. This is particularly useful when you need to move data between devices that are not connected to the internet.

Move an entire SQL Server Compact installation to another computer by following these simple steps:

Step 1: Run Todo PCTrans on Both Computers

Download Todo PCTrans, and you'll see the PC-to-PC interface.

Step 2: Choose the transfer direction - from the old computer or to the new one

"This is a new computer" - Transfer all data from the old computer to this new one remotely.

"This is an old computer" - Transfer all data from the current old device to the new one.

Step 3: Connect the two computers

1. Select the IP address or device name of the target computer, then click "Connect."

2. Type the target computer's login password, then click OK to confirm.

If the target PC is not listed, you can click Add PC and manually connect to it by entering its IP address or device name.

Step 4: Select the applications, programs, and software to transfer to the target computer

1. You get to choose and pick what goes from your current computer to the target machine.

2. After selecting the apps and data you want to transfer, click “Transfer” to start the process.

By clicking on the Chat button below, you can engage directly with our Support team to learn more about SQL database migration and the Todo PCTrans tool:

Please provide the English content you want translated, and I'll do my best to translate it into Chinese.

Todo PCTrans Enterprise Tool

Bulk PC program migration, Windows account transfer, domain account transfer, virtual-to-physical machine migration, and local to cloud desktop migration.

24/7 Technical Support Chat

Method 2: Copying the SQL Database to Another Computer

In the tutorial, we mentioned using Todo PCtrans, but if you want to do it manually, your best bet is to copy your database via SQL Server Management Studio. Let's get started!

Open Administration Studio and perform the following steps:

Step 1: Right-click on the database and select Tasks > Copy Database.

Click to copy the database.

Step 2: On the Copy Database Wizard screen, click Next. Enter the source server to select the source server. You can access the server using Windows Authentication or SQL Server Authentication mode with a user name and password. Click Next again.

Step 3: Type your authentication information, then the name of the target server. Click Next.

Step 4: Choose the SQL Management Objects option, and then click Next.

Step 5: You can now select the database you wish to work with. After selecting the database, you may choose to either move or copy it. If you wish to retain the database on the original server, select Copy. Otherwise, select Move to relocate the database to the next server.

Step 6: Then, on the target system, check the locations for the MDF and log files. Proceed to complete the final step of the wizard.

Learn more: Migrate a database from SQL Server to SQL Server Compact

To make it easier for you to transfer databases between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact, you can also use the following approaches.

Method 1: Using SQL Server Compact Toolbox

The SQL Server Compact Toolbox is a free tool provided by Microsoft that you can use to move a Microsoft SQL Server Compact database from one computer to another. Here, we'll show you how to use its toolbox to transfer a SQL Server Compact database.

You need to operate in both of the following ways!

Before continuing, add a connection to your Azure SQL database from the Toolbox.

or an SQL server.

Just follow the instructions for your version of SQL Server Lite to SQL Server Compact.

Migrating via the "One Click" Graphical User Interface

To migrate to SQLite or SQL Server Compact 4.0, click Migrate to a SQL Server Compact 4.0 Connection. This is a one-stop graphical process.

Translating via scripting

If you prefer to use scripting or have to move to SQL Server Compact 3.5, use the scripting approach described here!

Step 1: From the SQL Server connection, choose “Script Database,” and then choose “Script Database as” and “CREATE To.” This will save a script file to your hard drive.

Step 2: Now, click on Add SQL Server Compact 3.5 Connection. You will need to add a new or existing SQL connection file.

Step 3: Now open the “New Query” window. To do this, right-click on the empty.sdf icon and select “New Query.”

Click the new “Query” option.

Step 4: Open the script generated by the first highlighted button, and then click the second one (the arrow). Finally, hit Save As, and you're good to go.

Click the highlighted button, and then save the final file.

Method 2: Use the Tool Todo PCTrans

With Todo PCTrans, you can easily migrate your Microsoft SQL Server Compact to another PC. One of the advantages of Todo PCTrans is that it can be used in several ways.

The fastest way – though not necessarily the easiest – is to use PC-to-PC mode, which links two computers (wired or wireless) on the same network to transfer data. If you don't have a home network, or don't want to bother with that, you can save everything to an image file and manually transfer all its contents.

About Microsoft SQL Server Compact

Microsoft SQL Server Compact is a free, embedded database engine that developers can use to build desktop applications. It stores data in the same format as Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine, making it easy to move databases between computers.

Thus, whether you've just bought a new computer or want to move it to your office PC, transferring the database to your work PC isn't a daunting task. You only need to know how to do it, and you're good to go! Below, we'll reveal the best ways to move Microsoft SQL Server Compact to another PC, but before that, let's first understand what Microsoft SQL Server Compact is all about. Let's find out!

Microsoft SQL Server Compact (SQL CE) is a small relational database designed for desktop and mobile applications. It also serves as a simple, free, embedded database for use with Visual Studio apps.

There are versions 3.1 and 3.5 of Microsoft SQL Server Compact, but the most commonly used recent version is 4.0.

This impressive database can help in many ways, for example, by

• A local cache of a remote SQL Server database.
• A single-user application that still stores its data in a SQL database.
• A mobile app that periodically synchronizes its local compact database with a remote database.

1. What is the difference between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact?

Some database users confuse SQL Server Compact with SQL Server, but there are actually many differences between the two. Here are some key ones:

• SQL Server is a full-featured Relational Database Management System (RDBMS), while SQL Server Compact is a lightweight RDBMS.
• SQL Server can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud, whereas SQL Server Compact is only for on-premises deployment.
• SQL Server offers more features than SQL Server Compact, such as support for stored procedures and triggers. However, SQL Server Compact supports many of the same features as SQL Server, like transactions, indexing, and constraints.

2. Can I move SQL Server Compact to another computer?

By now, you may already be aware of the differences between SQL Server and SQL Server Compact. However, our main question still remains unanswered: Can you move Microsoft SQL Server Compact to another PC? Let's find out!

You can move a Microsoft SQL Server Compact installation to a new computer, but you must ensure that the destination computer has Microsoft SQL Server Compact of the same or a later version installed.

SQL Server Compact can be moved relatively quickly from one computer to another, but you might encounter the following issues:

If you are migrating a database to a computer with an older version of SQL Server Compact installed, you must first update the destination computer. Also, if your database is larger than 4 GB, you must use the SQL Server Compact Edition tools to split it into multiple files before migrating it.

With all that in mind, we'd like to introduce you to an all-in-one solution that will seamlessly migrate your database to your new computer and offer you innovative features unlike anything you've seen before. Read on for more details!

IV. Conclusion

This article will outline four practical ways to move Microsoft SQL Server Compact to a new computer or another PC, including using Todo PCTrans migration software.

Todo PCTrans is by far the easiest and most intuitive way to do this, with very little chance of something going wrong during the transfer. Whether you're familiar with server database replication wizards or backup and restore processes or not, it's suitable for anyone with different technical skills. Download it now!