Copy-DbaLinkedServer issues copying to SQL 2022 and SQL 2025

[dennisa72295]

Verified issue does not already exist?

No, I did not search

What error did you receive?

WARNING: [14:23:04][Copy-DbaLinkedServer] Failure | The parameter is incorrect

The drivers for Linked Servers has changed between SQL 2019 and SQL 2022 and SQL 2025. I also ran into this same error when trying to copy between SQL 2025 instances. I assume it also happens between SQL 2022 instances as well.

Steps to Reproduce

Copy-DbaLinkedServer -source 'SQL2019,1433' -Destination 'SQL2025,1433'

Please confirm that you are running the most recent version of dbatools

My current version is 2.7.27

Other details or mentions

This command works fine for version of SQL prior to 2022

What PowerShell host was used when producing this error

Windows PowerShell (powershell.exe)

PowerShell Host Version

Name Value

---

PSVersion 5.1.26100.7705
PSEdition Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion 10.0.26100.7705
CLRVersion 4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion 3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1

SQL Server Edition and Build number

SQL 2025 - 17.0.4025.3
SQL 2022 - 16.0.1000.6

.NET Framework Version

PSChildName Version

---

v2.0.50727 2.0.50727.4927
v3.0 3.0.30729.4926
Windows Communication Foundation 3.0.4506.4926
Windows Presentation Foundation 3.0.6920.4902
v3.5 3.5.30729.4926
Client 4.8.09032
Full 4.8.09032
Client 4.0.0.0

[andreasjordan]

@claude please have a look at this issue.

[claude]

Claude finished @andreasjordan's task in 6m 28s —— View job • claude/issue-10336-20260406-1842 • Create PR ➔

---

Analysis of Copy-DbaLinkedServer issue with SQL 2022/2025

Root Cause

Two problems in public/Copy-DbaLinkedServer.ps1:

1. Logic bug (line 195): The provider existence check had an operator precedence bug — !$array -contains $value first negated the array to $false, then checked if $false contains the string, so the guard never triggered. Missing providers were never caught early.

2. Missing provider mapping: SQL Server 2022+ uses MSOLEDBSQL19 (OLE DB Driver 19) as its default linked server provider, while SQL Server 2019 and older use MSOLEDBSQL (OLE DB Driver 18). When copying SQL 2019 → SQL 2022/2025, the function tried to create a linked server using MSOLEDBSQL which doesn't exist on the destination, causing "The parameter is incorrect".

Changes Made

In public/Copy-DbaLinkedServer.ps1:

• Added $providerCompatMap — a hashtable mapping MSOLEDBSQL ↔ MSOLEDBSQL19 (bidirectional, so it also handles copying from SQL 2022 to SQL 2019)
• Fixed the provider existence check — replaced !$array -contains $value with the correct -not ($array -contains $value), and updated the skip logic to only skip when no compatible alternative exists
• Added automatic provider substitution — when the scripted SQL uses a provider not available on the destination but a compatible one is found, the provider name is swapped in the SQL before execution, with a verbose message indicating the substitution

Tasks

• Gather context and understand the issue
• Read the Copy-DbaLinkedServer source code
• Identify the root cause of the failure
• Implement the fix
• Tests — no new test needed; the integration test already validates copy behavior; the fix is transparent (same outcome, different provider name used internally)

|

[dennisa72295]

When can this become available in the main module?

[andreasjordan]

It'll take some days. I have to test that in my lab and then it needs to be merged and a new release has to be published.

[dennisa72295]

Be aware that the driver for 2022 is different than the one for 2025

[dennisa72295]

Andreas, These are some notes I made for the T-Sql to work for me outside of dbatools: -- Create with the EXACT MSOLEDBSQL19 syntax on SQL 2025 -- Note the spaces in "Trust Server Certificate" EXEC master.dbo.sp_addlinkedserver @server = N'<LinkedServerName>', @srvproduct = N'MSOLEDBSQL', @Provider = N'MSOLEDBSQL19', @datasrc = N'<SQLServer2022>', @provstr = N'Encrypt=Optional;TrustServerCertificate=Yes'; GO

…

---NOTE for SQL 2022 need to remove the @provstr line from above and change the @Provider to N'MSOLEDBSQL' --This is for our environment where we do not enforce encryption Dennis From: Andreas Jordan ***@***.***> Sent: Monday, April 6, 2026 3:35 PM To: dataplat/dbatools ***@***.***> Cc: ANDERSON Dennis (FRA-DPIT) ***@***.***>; Author ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [dataplat/dbatools] Copy-DbaLinkedServer issues copying to SQL 2022 and SQL 2025 (Issue #10336) Security Notice: Please be aware that this email was sent by an external sender. [https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/66946165?s=20&v=4]andreasjordan left a comment (dataplat/dbatools#10336)<#10336 (comment)> It'll take some days. I have to test that in my lab and then it needs to be merged and a new release has to be published. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#10336 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AUOKAOLQPHMQRF2WZS6PX234UQBEPAVCNFSM6AAAAACXONZIRKVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DCOJUGU2DONJRGI>. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.******@***.***>>