SQL server shows different versions when seen from about screen and from query

Question

I had to see version of my sql server management studio, I went to Help --> About, it showed me following screen:

link to image: About Screen of my SQL Server Management Studio

It clearly shows that SQL Server is R2 with version 10.50.1600.1.

But when I run query Select @@version, It returns me this:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP1) - 10.0.2531.0 (Intel X86) Mar 29 2009 10:27:29 Copyright (c) 1988-2008 Microsoft Corporation Express Edition on Windows NT 5.1 (Build 2600: Service Pack 3)

Which shows it is not R2, also version is changes i.e 10.0.2531.0

I am not getting why is this? Can someone explain why both enquiries return different versions. Although I installed R2 in it.

And if it is not R2 then how to upgrade it to R2. Please help

Answer 1

You can see version of SQL Server on local computer by using Help\About. but when run select @@Version, you see version of SQL Server database engine that login on it. In other word you run SSMS from local computer and Help\About show version of SSMS. and then login to sql server database engine of your server, Select @@Version show version of sql server on the server.