With ArcGIS 9.3 and later releases, SQL Server Express with Advanced Services is used to store ArcSDE geodatabases on ArcSDE database servers. This provides additional support for full-text searches, which allow you to create ArcIMS Metadata Services using ArcSDE geodatabases licensed through ArcGIS Server Workgroup as data sources.

If you were using ArcSDE database servers with ArcGIS 9.2, you can upgrade your SQL Server Express instance when you install ArcGIS 9.3 or later releases.

1. Before running the installation executable file, be sure to make a backup of all your geodatabases.
2. When you run the ArcSDESqlExpressPersonal.exe or ArcSDESqlExpressWorkGroup.exe file, keep the Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition option checked on the ArcSDE Installation Options dialog box.
3. When the Instance Name dialog box of the SQL Server Express with Advanced Services installation appears, choose the instance you want to upgrade. Read the ArcSDE geodatabase installation guide that comes with ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Server Workgroup, or ArcGIS Engine for complete instructions.

Unless you received a new ArcGIS Server Workgroup license key, you do not need to complete the ArcSDE postinstallation portion of the installation.

How you upgrade a geodatabase depends on whether or not the client from which you perform the upgrade has ArcGIS pre-9.3 geodatabase direct connect drivers installed or not. The first set of steps assume you have the 9.2 direct connect drivers installed.

The upgrade procedure for clients that do not have these drivers is explained at the end of this topic.

Upgrading from a client that has ArcGIS pre-9.3 geodatabase direct connect drivers installed

After installing a new release of ArcGIS Desktop or ArcGIS Engine, a user who is a database server administrator (dbo) in the SQL Server Express instance should do the following:

1. Start ArcCatalog.
2. Connect to the database server.
3. Right-click the first geodatabase on the database server and click Properties.
4. Click the General tab. If an upgrade is needed, the Upgrade Geodatabase button will be active. Click the button to upgrade the geodatabase.
If you do not want to upgrade the geodatabase, you will still be able to connect to the data, but you won't be able to use newer geodatabase functionality available with the new ArcGIS release you installed.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each geodatabase on the database server you want to upgrade.
6. When you are finished upgrading all the geodatabases you want to, right-click the database server and click Disconnect. To continue working with the database server and its geodatabases, either double-click the database server or right-click it and click Connect to reconnect to it.

It is also possible for non-dbo users to upgrade the geodatabases for which they have been granted geodatabase administrator permissions. For example, perhaps at your site you have one geodatabase administrator for each geodatabase. In that case, each geodatabase administrator should connect to the database server in ArcCatalog and upgrade the geodatabase for which he or she is responsible, then disconnect and reconnect to the database server.

See Administering user permissions for ArcSDE database servers for information on geodatabase administrators.

Upgrading from a client that does not have ArcGIS pre-9.3 geodatabase direct connect drivers installed

If you are connecting as either dbo or the geodatabase administrator but cannot connect to the geodatabase—for instance, if you are missing the drivers necessary to connect to an older geodatabase—you will automatically be prompted to upgrade the geodatabase. When the upgrade dialog box appears, click Yes to upgrade. After the upgrade, you should be able to connect to the geodatabase.