The Argos Database ships with Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Express, but Argos can also run on newer versions of SQL Server. This article covers migrating the Argos Database using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), Microsoft's free tool.
⚠️ Warning: Incorrect migration of the Argos database can cause serious problems, including data loss. Sepialine cannot guarantee issues from an incorrect migration can be resolved, and standard service contracts do not include hands-on migration support — this is a separate paid service. Contact Sepialine Sales for migration assistance.
Before you start
- This is written for IT professionals comfortable with SQL Server administration.
- You'll need a Windows Domain account with Local Machine and/or Domain Administrator rights.
- Naming convention used below: Server A = old server, Server B = new server.
- These steps specifically cover migration between machines running Sepialine's SQL Server Express install.
Phase 1 — Install Argos on Server B
- Apply all recommended Windows updates and service packs.
- Download the latest Argos 8 release: sepialine.com/argos/download.html
- Extract the contents of the downloaded zip file.
- Run Argos 8.3.1.exe — this creates the ArgosInstallers folder on the C: drive; it doesn't launch the installer itself.
- From C:\ArgosInstallers, run SetupLauncher.exe to start the actual install.
- Follow the standard installation steps to install the desired components.
- Open Argos Manager to confirm the install worked. (Any changes made here now will be overwritten later.)
- Open the CS health page at http://SERVERB:7080/cs/health — the Billing coordinator's "Last update result" should read Success within ~5 seconds.
- Download and install SQL Server Management Studio on Server B.
Phase 2 — Back up the database on Server A
- Open SSMS and connect with:
- Server type: Database Engine
- Server name: SERVERA\ARGOS (swap in your actual old server name; the default instance name for Argos 8 is ARGOS)
- Authentication: SQL Server Authentication
- Login: sa / Password: s3p14_lin3
- Click Connect.
- Expand Databases to find Argos7 — this is the database's literal name and doesn't change under Argos 8.
- Right-click Argos7 → Tasks → Back Up.
- Note the destination path — Argos normally runs a nightly backup to C:\ProgramData\Sepialine\Argos7\Backup\Argos.bak (the Argos7 folder name is unchanged in Argos 8 installs).
- Click OK to back up again to the same location.
- Confirm the "backup completed successfully" message, click OK.
- On Server A, copy the fresh Argos.bak (check the modified date) to a folder on Server B.
Phase 3 — Restore the database on Server B
First, remove the empty Argos database that Phase 1 created:
- Open SSMS and connect with:
- Server name: SERVERB\ARGOS (your new server; default instance ARGOS for Argos 8)
- Authentication: SQL Server Authentication
- Login: sa / Password: s3p14_lin3
- Click Connect.
- Expand Databases to find Argos7.
- Right-click Argos7 → Delete.
- On the Delete Object screen, check Close existing connections, click OK.
Note: if the database won't drop, close Argos Manager, stop all Argos services, then restart the SQL (ARGOS) service and try again. - Confirm Argos7 disappears from SSMS.
Now restore from the backup:
- Right-click Databases → Restore Database.
- Choose Device, click the … button.
- In Select backup devices, click Add.
- Browse to your copied .bak file, select it, click OK.
- Click OK on the Select backup devices window.
- Click OK on the Restore Database window.
- Confirm "Database 'Argos7' restored successfully," click OK.
- Close SSMS. In Argos Manager, go to View → Settings.
- Click Database Connection....
- Confirm the Server field shows the new server/instance name, then click Test connection....
- Confirm "Connected successfully," click OK.
- Click Save.
If you upgraded Argos versions during the migration
You'll see a "database version mismatch" error on launching Manager.
Fix: run SetupLauncher.exe from the ArgosInstallers folder on the new server, and follow the prompts to upgrade the database to match the installed components.
Phase 4 — Redirect other servers and workstations
Workstations and print-tracking agents (Argos Agent installs) pointed at Server A need to be redirected to Server B. The simplest approach is redeploying the client/agent via whatever method you originally used (SMS, Active Directory Group Policy, Sepialine Deployment Center, etc.) so the updated Communication Service URL is picked up. Manual installs pick this up from the setup.ini config.
For additional servers running the Argos App Server or Manager components, redirect them manually:
- On the server, open C:\Program Files (x86)\Sepialine\Argos7\ArgosDatabase.config in Notepad. (Argos7 here is the install folder name, unchanged in Argos 8.)
- Find Data Source and update it with the new database server and instance name.
- Run services.msc.
- Right-click each Argos service and choose Restart.
Once done, send test prints from every print server and confirm users still get the Argos Desktop Billing Client, and that new jobs appear in Manager on the new server.
Phase 5 — Retire the old Argos Integration Services
The old server's task executor (integration service) must be retired — task executors handle things like device-based tracking and project imports, so they need to stay mapped to an active server.
- In Argos Manager on the new server, go to Settings → Task Executors.
- Select the old server, click Retire....
- If any integration tasks (project import, user import, HP Designjet integration, etc.) still point to the old server, you'll be prompted to reassign them — pick the new integration server and click OK.
⚠️ A Task Executor can't be removed until it's been inactive for 15 minutes.
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