Can't add SQL Server CE database using SQL Server Management Studio 2008

Question

I'm trying to add the Northwind SQL Server CE 3.5 version which is an .sdf to SQL Server Management Studio 2008 R2 but I'm getting the following error:

Failed to retrieve data for this request. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Enumerator.Process(Object connectionInfo, Request request)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AttachDatabaseData.PrimaryFile.GetOriginalDatabaseName(String primaryFilePath)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AttachDatabaseData.PrimaryFile.PopulatePrimaryFileData(String primaryFilePath)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AttachDatabaseData.PrimaryFile..ctor(SqlManagementUserControl parent, CDataContainer dc, String fullPath, String databaseOwner, ServerConnection connectionInfo)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.AttachDatabase.IsSelectedFileValid(BrowseFolder dlg)

An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)

at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection.ExecuteReader(String sqlCommand, SqlCommand& command)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExecuteSql.GetDataReader(String query, SqlCommand& command)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.DataProvider.SetConnectionAndQuery(ExecuteSql execSql, String query)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExecuteSql.GetDataProvider(StringCollection query, Object con, StatementBuilder sb, RetriveMode rm)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExecuteSql.ExecuteWithResults(StringCollection query, Object con, StatementBuilder sb)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlObjectBase.FillData(ResultType resultType, StringCollection sql, Object connectionInfo, StatementBuilder sb)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlObjectBase.FillDataWithUseFailure(SqlEnumResult sqlresult, ResultType resultType)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlObjectBase.BuildResult(EnumResult result)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.PrimaryFile.GetData(EnumResult erParent)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Environment.GetData()
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Environment.GetData(Request req, Object ci)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Enumerator.GetData(Object connectionInfo, Request request)
at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Enumerator.Process(Object connectionInfo, Request request)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server Compact Edition\v3.5\Samples\Northwind_ce.sdf is not a primary database file. (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)

Answer 1

SQL CE database cannot be attached to MS SQL Server. But you can use third-part tools to migrate your database from SQL CE to MS SQL Server. For example, you can use exportsqlce utility.