Basic SQL – How to create a new NAV database for restoring a NAV backup

This post is part of “Overview of NAV-specific SQL features for application consultants”.

This post describes the steps needed to create a new NAV database from a NAV backup (.fbk) file. All the steps are done from a NAV client:

1. Start a NAV client (finsql.exe), then go to File -> Database -> New. In Server Name, enter (local)  – assuming you have SQL Server on the same machine. Then click OK.
2. You only have to enter a database name, and click OK. But if the database is used for test purposes, I would also recommend you change “Recovery Model” from Full to Simple (Options tab), and change “Security Model” from Enhanced to Standard (Advanced tab). Then click OK.
3. Now you have a blank NAV database. All you have to do, is to restore your NAV backup (.fbk) file: Tools -> Restore.
4. If you want to change the NAV license, then go to Tools -> License Information, and click Upload, and select the NAV license. This uploads the license to the SQL Server, and it will be stored there for the next time you start NAV.