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Asked: 2026-06-18T11:10:05+00:00

Using MS SQL Server Management Studio 2008. I have a db (say ip 10.16.17.10

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Using MS SQL Server Management Studio 2008.
I have a db (say ip 10.16.17.10 and called db1) and a second one (say ip 10.16.17.25 called db2).

I am trying to copy one table (and its contents) from db1 into db2.
I have the database on both (but empty in db2).

The problem is no matter how I copy/export/import, no matter what options I set in MS SQL Server Management Studio 2008 when I click ‘table’->’Design’ (on db2) it ALWAYS says ‘Identity Spefication: NO’ even tho the db1 table has it on.

From db1 I go to ‘Tasks’->’export’->’source/db’ and ‘destination/db’->’Edit Mapping’->’Enable identity Insert’ and click it on.

But no joy. ALWAYS exports without it.
I try similar thing from IMPORT on db2. Similar thing if I use COPY.

I have read MANY of the STACKOVERFLOW articles on this, they all suggest setting IDENTITY_INSERT setting to ON but when I do run below:

SET IDENTITY_INSERT [dbo].[mytable] ON

The table either doesn’t exist yet or has already copied WITHOUT the identity setting on so see the error:

does not have the identity property. Cannot perform SET operation.

I have tried setting it as a property (under database properties) for db2 but when I copy/import/export never works.

Would appreciate any help here as lots of StackOverflow articles so far all seem to be having an easier time than me.

I am planning on doing this for another 50 or so tables in this database so am hoping to find a way which doesnt involve running scripts for each table.

thanks

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    The process of using the Export Data Wizard to copy the data from one table to another will NOT replicate all aspects of the schema (like identity and auto-increment). If you want to replicate the schema, script out your table into a create statement, change the name to db2, and create it. Then you should be able to run the export/import wizard with the identity insert option on and insert into your new table that replicates the schema of your old table.

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