SQL Server Express - installation

[Egg 'n' Bacon]

Hi, I figured I'd give this a go (as it's free :) ) but I'm struggling to figure out which I can install on my machine & then which would be best for a novice like me.

My machine is running Vista Home Premium, with an AMD Turion 64 x2 at 1.8GHz, with 2 Gb RAM

Did have a go at the "Database with advanced services" (because I liked the idea of the Reporting services), but this failed as (apparently) I don't Windows PowerShell, and none of the PowerShell installs worked; got the message "The update does not apply to the system".

Trouble is, none of the online documentation seems to apply to my machine.

Any and all advice gratefully received.


TIA

[HansV]

Windows PowerShell 2.0 requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP1 or later. If you don't have the .NET Framework yet, you can get it through Microsoft Update (use Internet Explorer).
Download links for Windows PowerShell can be found on Windows Management Framework (Windows PowerShell 2.0, WinRM 2.0, and BITS 4.0). If you have 64 bits Windows Vista, you must download the Vista x64 version, otherwise the 'standard' Vista version.

[Wendell]

Did you install the "Advanced" version of SQL Server 2008 Express? In order to use Reporting Services you need that version - it can be downloaded from here.

[Egg 'n' Bacon]

Yeah, it's the Advanved I'm trying to install, but the System Configuration Check Report tells me everything but the PowerShell is OK.

As I'm using Vista, .Net framework is included (though I may have bolloxed that by trying to install 3.5) but none of the 3 PowerShell install options say they are applicable to my system

[HansV]

The different versions of the .NET Framework can coexist peacefully - installing 3.5 doesn't affect 2.0, so I don't think that's the explanation.

I'm afraid I don't know what causes your problems.

[Wendell]

Yeah, it's the Advanved I'm trying to install, but the System Configuration Check Report tells me everything but the PowerShell is OK. ...

You don't really need PowerShell to do most things in SQL Server Express - in fact I don't normally use it. But the actual download page (which you've probably seen) has a link to some instructions for installing PowerShell, and indicates 1.0 is the version you should use with 2008 Express.

[Egg 'n' Bacon]

Sorry I wasn't clearer, it was the System Configuration Check Report that told me I needed it.

Anyway, I do think I've got it sussed. I had gone for the downloadable file & ran that. That's when I had problems. By installing direct from the internet worked (though I'm not certain I've got the tools I was after, but I've nver used this so I'll do a bit of learning first :) )

One thing though, it took an ange and a half to install!

Thanks for your help.

[Charlotte]

I'm revisiting this thread because I'm trying to get SQL Express 2008 to install properly on my windows 7 installation. I'm used to running full SQL Server at work, so I'm probably looking in the wrong place for things. I know you're supposed to be able to download management tools, but that gives me web developer tools and no useful items for win development. Is the idea to manage the thing entirely from visual studio? I can do that if necessary, but I haven't found anything that maks it clear exactly what you get when you unwrap the package.

[Wendell]

You should be able to download the Management Studio Express from Download Details: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Express. It works pretty much the same as the full version of SQL Management Studio.

[Charlotte]

Downloaded and installed it last night. Got me no further along. I must be missing something obvious. Drat!

[Wendell]

Doing some quick reading, it appears if you download the Express version now you get a bunch of tools associated with Visual Studio 2010. Is that what you got? If so that may mess up the installation of Mgmt Studio Express. I need to install SQL Server on my laptop for a session I'm attending in Portland, so I'll have a go at it and see what I get. Did you install the 32 or 64 bit version?

UPDATED:
I managed to install SQL Server Express 64-bit version on my Server 2008 R2 test system, and got the expected Management Studio Express. However I downloaded that and installed it before I installed SQL Server Express. I also should note that I had an Enterprise version of SQL Server 2008 installed that I blew away first, so that might have affected the Express install. One trick that you probably know is that you must specify an Instance name as by default the install process creates an instance called "servername\sqlexpress" - I had to prompt Studio Express in order to connect to it - the browse process defaults to (local).

[Charlotte]

No, I downloaded 2008 SQL MAnagement Studio, but the "tools" seem to be configuration and installation tools, not what I think of as the management tools for manipulating and administering the server and databases. If you previously had a full SQL installation, you already had the management studio tools, which I what I'm looking for. I kept getting web developer tools because it insisted I already had the management studio installed and wanting to download something else. Maybe I'll just go soak my head instead.

The 2010 tools should work with 2008 but I hate to put a beta or even an RC on my machine and rely on it. Fortunately, I'm not doing production work on my laptop, so it wouldn't really matter ... unless it ran afoul of Windows 7 and then all bets are off. But I know how things change from the beta and RC versions and I don't want to depend on something that may vanish before release.

[Wendell]

Actually, I removed the Management Studio as well - it was as close as I could do without a wipe of the disk. And comparing a Standard 2008 Management Studio suggests it is the same as the Express version, except the express version has a higher revision number that I think came from applying SP1 of SQL Server 2008 before I actually tried to do anything. For what it's worth, the standard version has not had SP1 installed and it is at version 10.00.1600.22, while the express version installed on my test server is 10.0.2531. Also, it should behave with Windows 7 if you install SP1 - Win Server 2008 R2 (beta) is pretty much the same product in a server version. And SP1 had been around for some time - May of 2009. Guess we should update the production servers - but I always hate to stir the pot on production systems.