Copy SharePoint 2010 site collection/web application

Question

I have a SharePoint 2010 web application with one site collection. I want to copy that site collection to a new web application on the same server.

I took a backup and restored it to a new database on the sql server. I then created a new web application with a temporary content database that I removed from the web application. I then added the restored copy of the original web app to the new web application.

The problem is the newly attached content database show 0 site collections, but there is in fact 1 single site.

I guess it has something to do with the id's? I have tried adding the content db both with and without assigning a new ID to the database.

Any idea how one can copy a site collection to a new web application on the same server?

-- Christian

Solution

Try using import/export. The main difference between import/export and backup/restore is that import/export generates new Guids.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee428301.aspx