@PaulWirth
ArcGIS 10.1-10.3 will not be able to connect unfortunately.
I read through the archived arcgis help of the old releases.
See below for more information.
Problem 1:
- ArcGIS Desktop 9.2/9.3/10.0 cannot connect to a Geodatabase 9.1 using "direct connect"
- ArcGIS Desktop 9.1 can connect to a Geodatabase 9.1 using "direct connect"
- this means you do not need the ArcSDE 9.1 Installer and you do not need to create the ArcSDE Service, you can simple use "direct connect" if you use ArcGIS Desktop 9.1
- otherwise, if you use ArcGIS Desktop 9.2/9.3/10.0 you will need the ArcSDE Service 9.1 to be able to connect.
Desktop Help 10.0 - Client and geodatabase compatibility (arcgis.com)
ArcGIS Desktop Help 9.3 - Client and geodatabase compatibility (esri.com)
Old Help Documentation: Archive—Links to archived documentation for ArcGIS 10.2 and earlier
Problem 2:
- ArcGIS Desktop 9.1 and ArcSDE Service 9.1 does not support SQL Server 2012
- I could not find any system requirements page to confirm this, seems the web help was archived and is not available
Workaround:
- the only viable solution then is to upgrade the geodatabase repository first using ArcSDE 9.3 hence you will need to obtain the ArcSDE 9.3 Installer and use the ArcSDE command line to upgrade the Geodatabase
- then ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1/10.0/10.1/10.2/10.3 will be able to connect to a Geodatabase 9.3 using "direct connect"
- Problem: ArcSDE 9.3 does not support SQL Server 2012
- arcgis_server 9.3 system requirements.pdf (esri.com)
- arcsde 9.3_microsoft_sql_server_database_requirements.pdf (esri.com)
- you might still give it a shot and see if ArcSDE 9.3 is able to connect to the SQL Server 2012 Geodatabase and perform the Geodatabase Repository Upgrade from 9.1 to 9.3.
Caveat - I would take a database backup of the SQL Server Geodatabase 9.1 and restore it on another machine then I would do the Geodatabase Repository Upgrade tests there first.
Please, open an Esri Technical Support Ticket and Support will assist you further to upgrade the geodatabase. This can be a difficult task and there are other factors here to consider e.g. Windows Operating System Version, SQL Server Version, Microsoft ODBC Driver Version, etc.
| Marcelo Marques | Principal Product Engineer | Esri |
| Cloud & Database Administrator | OCP - Oracle Certified Professional |
I work with Enterprise Geodatabases since 1997.
“ I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them." Isaac Isimov