Downgrading SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard to Web Edition

Question

I have to downgrade a SQL Server running SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard Edition SP1 to 2008 R2 Web Edition SP1.

I discovered this question on Server Fault:

Can I downgrade SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard To Web Edition?

Which links to a similar scenario:

Downgrading from SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition (trial) to R2 Web Edition (licensed)

This server doesn't have Analysis Services installed and I tried to run the Edition "Upgrade" tool and got this failure:

I checked the detailed report and all that it says is:

Rule Name: EditionUpgradeMatrixCheck
Rule Description: Checks whether the selected instance of SQL Server meets upgrade matrix requirements.
Result: Failed
Message/Corrective Action: The selected SQL Server instance does not meet upgrade matrix requirements.

Strangely the Edition Downgrade rule has passed.

I ran this from the SQL 2008 R2 Web Edition DVD.

Can anyone guide me through downgrading this SQL server to Web Edition, I am now at a loss.

Answer 1

Unfortunately looking at the MS matrix you cannot do this. You were able to earlier because evaluation versions don't have that lock, but once you go full edition it's locked out

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393%28v=sql.105%29.aspx

You could try an approach taken here but proceed with extreme caution. http://skreebydba.com/2012/11/16/downgrading-sql-server-enterprise-to-standard-with-scripts/

[edit]: This URL has the scripts to recreate logins, etc. that Aaron pointed out Just a headsup though, this doesn't script out jobs. If you restore MSDB to recreate jobs, make sure to

UPDATE MSDB..SysJobs 
SET Originating_Server = 'SQLServerName'

It will also work for downgrades to web.