What if my SQL Server evaluation period has expired?
OS: Windows 10 Enterprise 64bit SQL Server: Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (RC1) SQL Server Version: Developer Edition
I'm unable to start the SQL Server service due to the following error, "SQL Server evaluation period has expired". What's strange about this is I'm already using SQL Server Developer edition. Can anyone make sense of this? Below are screenshots of the error and proof of my version.
Version:
ERROR SSCM:
Event Viewer:
Log File:
Release candidates and community technology previews (CTPs) are considered evals and they expire 180 days after installation. You may not be able to upgrade the instance as upgrades are not supported (see Upgrading SQL Server 2019 from CTP to RTM version: Is it even possible?) Backup up your user database files (you'll have to copy the actual .mdf, .ldf, etc. files since you can't start SQL Server to do database backups), and then uninstall this instance, install the RTM version, and then attach the databases and create the necessary logins. Alternatively, of course, you could just install another instance with the RTM version, but then you'd have to connect to a non-default instance, etc.