Restore SQL 2008 backup file (newer) onto SQL server 2005 (older)
Last Updated: 5/15/13**NOTE: This process requires you to have both a SQL 2005 server and a SQL 2008 server. Spin up a new SQL 2005/2008 virtual machine if you need to and use a trial install of SQL server if needed. SQL server Express may work as well, not sure.
-> Open Your Management Studio 2008
-> Restore the file in SQL Server 2008 (due the version of the file is from 2008)
-> Connect to a MS SQL Server 2005 (The 2005 SQL Server which You wish to copy data to)
-> Create a Database (name it whatever you want it to be) -> Right click your database->Task->Import Data
-> Choose your 2008 Database Engine (with Specific Databases--The database that you have restored from your file )
-> Use the Import Wizard to Import them
->(This might take a while)
-> After everything done, you have successfully transfered all your 2008 data(tables or row data) into 2005 SQL server
Note: If you are deploying to multiple customers that have SQL 2005, you should make a backup file after you get the data into SQL 2005. This will make future deployments easier.
I had a strange error about a table called udf_filter, which did not really exist. I just had to uncheck that table from the list of tables to import.***Please note that this method is mostly for moving data. It does not work well for triggers and indexes. If you need triggers you should first create the target DB with a script created from the SQL 2008 server. Right click the source DB in SQL 2008 and select all tasks > generate scripts.
