Restore SharePoint backup from earlier to later version - Your backup is from a different version of Microsoft SharePoint Foundation and cannot be restored to a server running the current version

Tue 26 Mar 2013

In last days, I was trying to restore SharePoint web application backup using PowerShell, but run into following error (although my sharepoint version was newer then the backup version)

Restore-SPSite : Your backup is from a different version of Microsoft SharePoint Foundation and cannot be restored to a server running the current version. The backup file should be restored to a server with version '14.0.0.5138' or later.

Following is the quick overview / steps which I followed and successfully restored the SharePoint backup. Might be this could be applicable in your case

If you have the source database files (mdf and ldf) not the SharePoint backup file then follow step 2, otherwise step 1 and 2

Step 1.

Create a virtual machine if you don’t have
Install SharePoint on that vm if your don’t have it on that vm
Make the environment version same by installing the same cumulative update(s) which source server has. Once the server has the same version as of the backup, in my case it was (14.0.0.5138). (to check SharePoint version central administration -> upgrade and migration -> check product and patch installation)
Create new web application and Restore the SharePoint backup.
In sql server, detach the restored SharePoint database and physically copy database files (mdf and ldf)

Step 2.

On SharePoint environment where you want to restore the backup (this SharePoint version obviously needs to be later version, in my case it was 14.0.6029.1000)

Create web application (no need to create site collection) (central administration -> application management -> manage web application-> new)
Remove content database of newly created web application (central administration -> application management -> manage content database -> choose web application from the dropdown -> click on database name -> choose offline from database status and check mark Remove content database) (make sure you have selected the newly created web application and its content database)
In sql server, detach that content database of newly created web application
Physically replace the detached content database files (mdf and ldf) from the SharePoint backup's mdf/ldf file (which were taken from step1 or from the original server / source)
Attach Database (while attaching, after selecting mdf file, Change the Database name as of file name in Database to Attach's -> Attach As textbox, then on same screen, select/browse both mdf and ldf file in database details section -> Current File Path)
Open SharePoint 2010 Management Shell, and add content database using following command
stsadm -o addcontentdb -url <URL name> -databasename <database name>
Then follow remaining application specific restore steps (for e.g. change site collection administrators, changes in web.config, add or change global resource files etc.)