Cannot find an organization database on server
I was doing an import on a customer’s server over the weekend and came across a strange one. I had restored an organization database onto the SQL server, and had tried to import it using the Deployment Manager. When I selected my SQL Server from the list in the Import Organization wizard, it came back with this message:
The Import Organization wizard cannot connect to the SQL Server or cannot find an organization database on [SERVERNAME]. Verify that the server name in the SQL Server box is correct and that the computer is running Microsoft SQL Server where an organization database is stored
I knew the database permissions were good and that the database was named properly with orgname_MSCRM so I was stumped. Google didn’t help me, although in retrospect I should have stuck with it a bit longer because the answer was out there.
Anyway, in case it happens to you, here’s what the message means and how to get around it.
When DM examines your SQL server for potential candidate databases for the import, it loops through each database and tries to determine if it has a table named “Organizationbase”. If it finds that table in the database, it then tries to inspect the BuildVersion table to get information about the CRM database itself. This is where the wheels may come off. If you have a 3rd party database on the server that just happens to have an Organizationbase table, but does not have a Build Version table, then the DM wizard will trap a SQL exception, and present you with the error shown above in red.
As it happened, this customer had the Mobile Access database installed, and it has an Organizationbase table, but no BuildVersion table. My solution at the time was simply to take the 3rd party databases offline for a few moments, and then run the Import wizard again. This time it worked fine.
I mentioned earlier that the answer was out there but it was hidden in plain sight. The issue was resolved in RU8 (open the article and search for “Import Organization wizard” and you will see it documented) but the client’s server only had RU7 applied.
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3 Responses to “Cannot find an organization database on server”
anuradha
August 18th, 2010
I was hoping this would be the issue, but when I checked, I only have system databases, Database Snapshots, association_MSCRM, MSCRM_CONFIG, ReportServer, and ReportServerTempDB. I checked, and association_MSCRM has both tables mentioned above. What next?
Brad Cady
November 8th, 2011
Great solved my problem