This topic explains how to move Practice CS and the existing data from one server to another. Practice CS should not be copied from one server to another. The recommended procedure is to back up the current database, install a fresh copy of Practice CS to the new server, then restore the database on the new server. 

Back up the database

1. While sitting at the original server, open Practice CS. 
2. Choose File > Backup. 
3. Click the ellipsis button next to the Backup file field to choose a location where the backup will be saved. 
4. Click OK to begin the backup process. 

Before moving to the new server, you may want to verify the version of SQL being used on the old server. This is important because you can't restore a database to an older version of SQL. For example, if your old server is running SQL 2014, you need to have SQL 2014 or newer installed on your new server. See How to identify your SQL Server Version and Edition for instructions.

Install Practice CS on the new server

1. Go to the new server.
2. If you haven't already, download the latest version of Practice CS from the My Account page. Click the Downloads link on the My Account page to access a list of available downloads. You must log in to your CS Professional Suite Web Account to access the download.
3. Practice CS comes packaged with Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Express. If you need to install another version of SQL (remember, the version of SQL on your new server needs to be at least as high as the version running on your old server) or if your server is a domain controller, you will need to run the Microsoft SQL installation before installing Practice CS. There are a number of topics that you may find useful during this process. Search "install SQL" on the Help & How-To Center to find out more.
4. Follow the Installation Instructions to install Practice CS. Make sure to run a the desktop installation on the new server so that the application can be opened there. This is required to restore the database, so it must be completed even if no one will be working on the server.

Restore the database

1. Open Practice CS on the new server. 
2. In the Open Firm field, choose Sample.
3. In the Staff ID field, enter ADMIN.
4. Leave the password blank. 
5. Click OK. 
6. Choose Help > About Practice CS and click the Download Licenses button. Follow the prompts to download and apply your firm licenses. 
7. Open the Sample firm again, using the same Staff ID and password as before. 
8. Choose File > Restore.
9. Click the ellipsis button next to the Backup file\directory field and browse to the location where the backup file is saved. If you receive an error when selecting the backup location, see Error: "The file does not contain any backups..." when restoring a SQL database.
10. Give the database a name by completing the New Firm name field. This is the name that will appear in the Open Firm drop-down menu when opening Practice CS. 
11. Click OK to begin the restore process. 

Workstation installation

On each workstation: 

1. Browse to X:\WinCSI\Practice CS\Desktop, where X is the mapped drive of the new server. 
2. Run setup.exe and follow the prompts to complete the workstation installation.

Troubleshooting

If the workstations are not able to open Practice CS after following the steps above: 

• Uninstall Practice CS from the workstation's Control Panel and run the desktop setup again. Do not uninstall the Practice CS Shared Files. Uninstalling the shared files will uninstall Practice CS from the server. 
• Go through the steps in There is a problem accessing the SQL server, even if you do not receive an error.
• Verify that your environment is configured correctly: 
  • SQL Server best practice for CS Professional Suite applications
  • Windows Firewall Configuration for SQL Applications in CS Professional Suite
  • Antivirus guidelines for CS Professional Suite applications
  • Permissions guidelines for the CS Professional Suite

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