Quick Guide to Upgrading to SQL Server 2014

By: Dallas Snider   |   Updated: 2014-06-06   |   Comments (13)   |   Related: > Upgrades and Migrations

Problem

What are the steps involved in a simple upgrade to SQL Server 2014?  I am currently running an older version of SQL Server and want to do an in place upgrade.

Solution

In this tip, we will demonstrate an upgrade to SQL Server 2014.

Note: Before starting make sure you are connected to a network and have Internet access.

After you launch the SQL Server setup, the SQL Server Installation Center window will display. Along the left side of the window are the categories showing how the SQL Server Installation Center is organized. On the right side of the window are different actions the installer can take. Notice that some of the items allow the installer to view documentation while other items will make changes to the system. By default the Planning category is displayed.

Clicking on Installation on the left side will display the different installation options. For this tip, we will click on "Upgrade from SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2 or SQL Server 2012". This will launch the Upgrade to SQL Server 2014 application.

The following pop-up window might appear several times throughout the installation process.

The Upgrade to SQL Server 2014 application lists the steps it will follow on the left side of the window. Enter the product key and click "Next >".

Review the license terms, click on "I accept the license terms", and then click "Next >".

The upgrade application will download, extract and install files needed to carry out the installation process. Click on "Next >" to continue.

Select the SQL Server instance to modify. Click on "Next >" to continue.

Sometimes a "Please Wait..." pop-up box might appear.

The next step is the feature selection. In the example shown below, all of the features will be upgraded. Click on "Next >" to continue.

The Instance Configuration screen allows the installer to specify the instance ID. This screen will also display other installed instances. In this example, the MSSQLSERVER instance on SQL Server 2012 will be upgraded to SQL Server 2014.

The Server Configuration screen shows the services to be installed, the service account name and the Startup Type. If you are installing SQL Server 2014 on a device with limited resources then the Startup Type should be set to Automatic (Delayed Start) instead of Automatic. Click on "Next >".

The Full-text Upgrade screen provides three Full-Text upgrade options (import, rebuild and reset).

The Feature Rules screen will execute a rule check to make sure the upgrade process should successfully.

The Ready to Upgrade screen displays all of the features and prerequisites to be installed or upgraded. At this point, the installer can still go back to make changes or quit the process. Click on "Upgrade" to begin the upgrade of the SQL Server 2014 components.

The upgrade progress bar tracks the status of the upgrade.

Upon completion of the installation, click on "Close" to exit the Upgrade to SQL Server 2014 application.

The SQL Server Installation Center can now be closed.

Next Steps

It is a good idea to reboot and run Windows Update to allow updates to be installed. Please check our collection of other SQL Server 2014 tips on MSSQLTips.com that are listed below.

• What's new in SQL Server 2014? Is it worth the upgrade?

About the author

Dr. Dallas Snider is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at the University of West Florida and has 18+ years of SQL experience.

This author pledges the content of this article is based on professional experience and not AI generated.

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