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SSPR Troubleshooting: The version of the report server database is either in a format that is not valid, or it cannot be read.

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Problem

Reporting services wont start. Error reported is rsInvalidReportServerDatabas. Log file may have:

The version of the report server database is either in a format that is not valid, or it cannot be read. The found version is '163'. The expected version is '162'. (rsInvalidReportServerDatabase)

or

The version of the report server database is either in a format that is not valid, or it cannot be read. The found version is '164'. The expected version is '163'. (rsInvalidReportServerDatabase)

Cause

Occasionally fixes are made to the product that require a change to the Reporting Services schema. When this happens, the Schema version is incremented. This may happen in a cumulative update. If you have applied a cumulative update then upgrade to a later service pack, you must also check the release dates carefully. You may need to apply a cumulative update for the new service pack to get to the same (or later) Reporting Services database schema.

For example:

Version 163 was introduced in the following versions

  • SQL Reporting Services 2012 SP2 CU5
  • SQL Reporting Services 2012 SP3
  • SQL Reporting Services 2014 CU7

So upgrading from any version later than the first to 2014 would encounter this issue.

Version 164 was introduced in the following versions

  • SQL Reporting Services 2012 SP2 CU14
  • SQL Reporting Services 2012 SP3 CU5 (avoid and go to at least CU6)
  • SQL Reporting Services 2014 SP1 CU9
  • SQL Reporting Services 2014 SP2 CU1

Solution

You cannot reverse the schema change. Uninstalling an update won't reverse the schema changes. Nor can you modify the Reporting Services database.

You must either restore a backup of the database or update the reporting services that supports the current version number.

Additional Information

If you are already on a cumulative update (CU), then security patches may upgrade the CU you are on. The result is that whilst you didn't explicitly upgrade the database, you may be on a later version than planned.

Here is a great resource for checking the SQL releases and timing:

This link is very useful for checking the timing of releases : http://sqlserverbuilds.blogspot.co.uk/