>>>I let my application connect to an existing SQL Server instance, which then will create the database in this instance. Problem is we only support SQL 2008, so I need to check the version of the instance, without being connected to a database. The SQL Server instance can also be on another computer on the network. HOw can I check the version, having only the sa password and the instance name?
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>>SELECT @@VERSION
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>>Why only 2008?
>>What not 2008 R2 and 2012?
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>We only use 2008 R2, because of the Date type and I forgot what else. Maybe 2008 works too, but I have to test it. I think the Date type was the main reason to restrict the version, but I am not sure in which version this has been added.

2008 :-)