SPS2003 Adding Existing Content Database
I encountered a problem recently whilst trying to do a Database Migration for MySites. Running PRESCAN I encountered to the usual problems with
“Error: The following site has not been scanned. Id =…”
a quick search led me to Bill Baers excellent summary on PRESCAN and also a new Microsoft KB article 937291 which gives some really good error/resolution information.
However this is not the focus of this post, in order to resolve some of my problems it was recommended to remove the content database and then add it back via the Manage Content Databases option in Central Admin, so I dutifully complied (having done this on numerous occasions) but to my horror when adding the database back I got the error
The database schema is too old to perform this operation in this SharePoint cluster. Please upgrade the database and try again.
How could this be, I had just removed it! After some head scratching and and the inevitable google I found this A disaster recovery movie but didn’t want to take the same approach as touching the database directly is a big no-no. One of the comments lead me to checking the SystemVersion number in the content database, which gave 6.0.2.8117. I added a new content database to check what version it was expecting, 6.0.2.8028. Ah ha the database I was trying to add was newer than the one the server was expecting, hence the error. Another google on the version number 6.0.2.8117 I found this article that pointed me to this Microsoft KB 924881 January Hot fix rollup (download here).
Running the hotfix allowed me to add the content database back and continue with my PRESCAN and migration :)
Again the Internet and peoples willingness to share experiences and knowledge helped what could have been a showstopper in our current project, thanks 
