Need to be able to open/convert Read Only SQL 7.0 databases in SQL 2000

Need to be able to open/convert Read Only SQL 7.0 databases in SQL 2000
I work in a production shop which creates upwards of 8000 SQL 7.0 = databases a month and we're considering updating all of them to SQL = 2000, BUT there are a lot of SQL 7.0 databases lying around that still = need to be usable in SQL 2000. The problem is that these 7.0 databases = are created with sp_create_removable and sp_certify_removable and they = can't be opened by SQL 2000 because SQL 2000 wants to "convert" them = before allowing the databases to be used.
Obviously I can open each of these databases in 7.0, use the ALTER = DATABASE command to change the readonlyfilegroup to allow read/write = access, BUT I would have to do this on another machine (since I can't = have both 7.0 and 2000 installed on the same machine) and I'd have to do = this for MANY months of data for most of the 8000+ database sets that = have already been created -- way to much work to make it worth the = effort).
Is there a way to change the readonlyfilegroup settings before SQL 2000 = attempts it's "conversion" without using SQL 7.0 to do so (within SQL = 2000 or a third party app of some sort). Or is it possible to open a = read only 7.0 database in SQL 2000 and bypass the "conversion" = completely? I've even looked into the possibility of reverse engineering = the "alter database" functionality so that I can write a stand-alone app = which changes the readonlyfilegroup to read/write, but I'm having a = helluva time working out what changes I need to replicate in the file = structures (a book on "undocumented SQL file formats" would probably = help, but I can't find any such item on the market).
Has anyone run into a similar need before? If so how did you get around = this limitation? Help! =20Jeff,
You might want to do some google searches on this topic since I seem to
remember someone else a little while back asking the same question. If I
remember correctly the answer was to change it in 7.0 first but it's
probably worth looking to be sure. But you mentioned you can't have 7.0 and
2000 on the same machine. Why not?
--
Andrew J. Kelly
SQL Server MVP
"Jeff Thompson" <jefft666@.yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:028401c3603f$c7a52180$a401280a@.phx.gbl...
Need to be able to open/convert Read Only SQL 7.0 databases in SQL 2000
I work in a production shop which creates upwards of 8000 SQL 7.0 databases
a month and we're considering updating all of them to SQL 2000, BUT there
are a lot of SQL 7.0 databases lying around that still need to be usable in
SQL 2000. The problem is that these 7.0 databases are created with
sp_create_removable and sp_certify_removable and they can't be opened by SQL
2000 because SQL 2000 wants to "convert" them before allowing the databases
to be used.
Obviously I can open each of these databases in 7.0, use the ALTER DATABASE
command to change the readonlyfilegroup to allow read/write access, BUT I
would have to do this on another machine (since I can't have both 7.0 and
2000 installed on the same machine) and I'd have to do this for MANY months
of data for most of the 8000+ database sets that have already been
created -- way to much work to make it worth the effort).
Is there a way to change the readonlyfilegroup settings before SQL 2000
attempts it's "conversion" without using SQL 7.0 to do so (within SQL 2000
or a third party app of some sort). Or is it possible to open a read only
7.0 database in SQL 2000 and bypass the "conversion" completely? I've even
looked into the possibility of reverse engineering the "alter database"
functionality so that I can write a stand-alone app which changes the
readonlyfilegroup to read/write, but I'm having a helluva time working out
what changes I need to replicate in the file structures (a book on
"undocumented SQL file formats" would probably help, but I can't find any
such item on the market).
Has anyone run into a similar need before? If so how did you get around this
limitation? Help!