SQL Server Express WebLog

Updated The information in this posting is superseded by the following KB Article: 914277 How to configure SQL Server 2005 to allow remote connections http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;914277 ------------------------------...

There are two options for installing SQL Server 2008 Express. 1. Basic: Choose this option to install SQL Server Express with minimal effort by using the Web Platform Installer and a pre-defined defaults. Visit SQL Server Express download page to perform...

This is the short version, the longer version is further down, also make sure and review the SQL Express BOL and the Mini BOL . Follow these steps: 1. Make sure express is running correctly (assumes a default install) Drop to a cmd prompt ...

When installing SQL Server 2005 RTM/SP1/SP2 and SQL Server 2008 RTM on Windows 7 RC it presents you with a warning message. The message says that this SQL Server version has a known compatibility issues with Windows 7 RC. This warning is genuine and applies...

Great news for SQL Server Express users today! We increased the maximum database size in SQL Server 2008 R2 Express from 4GB to 10GB . You can try it out today – just go to SQL Server 2008 R2 Download Page and select...

Many of you are working with User Instances , sometimes without even realizing it. Briefly, a User Instances is special process of SQL Express that can be started by an application at runtime and allows SQL Express to emulate some of the characteristics...

Updated 2011-11-28: Added reference to the walkthrough of using LocalDB in Visual Studio 2010 and to the new LocalDB Installer . Updated 2011-11-02: Added reference to .NET Framework 4 support for LocalDB in the Q&A section. Introduction ...

SQL Server 2008 Express is now available as part of the November CTP - You can download it from the following link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=749bd760-f404-4d45-9ac0-d7f1b3ed1053&displaylang=en . There is already...

I've gotten a number of e-mails asking how to detect if SQL Express is installed on a computer. I'm finally getting around to putting this in the Blog so I don't have to keep typing the answer. We've made discovery much easier in SQL Server 2005 with...

In this post I'm going to explore the various ways you can configure SQL Server Express during installation. The easiest way is to just use the Setup UI, but that isn't ideal when you want to embed SQL Express into your own application installer. Command...

Microsoft has announced the release of SQL Server 2008 and that means it time for another post about SQL Server Express. The press release indicated that SQL Express is already available, but those of you who have followed the link have found that...

For those of you who are interested in database management tools for SQL Express, I’d like to tell you about a new product that Microsoft will be releasing soon called SQL Server Express Manager (or XM for short). XM is a lightweight tool built...

With Windows 8 Consumer Preview released I thought it would be good to clarify for our users which SQL Server Express versions will be supported on Windows 8. Here they are: SQL Server 2008 Express SP3 and above. SQL Server 2008 R2 Express SP1...

Update -- Update -- Update (6/1/2006) If you downloaded Express Advance prior to 6/1/2006, please download a fresh copy of the installer from the SQL Express download page at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download before following these...

Update -- Update -- Update (6/1/2006) As of 6/1/2006 we have posted a corrected Express Advanced installer that does not require you to follow these steps. If you're unsure if you have the update, download a fresh copy from the SQL Express download...

Now that SQL Server 2005 SP2 has been released I thought I should make good on my promise to explain more about how we handle Windows Vista User Access Control in SQL Express SP2. I explained earlier that UAC works by removing the administrator ACEs from...

There have been a few blog postings (most notably Eric Nelson's post on July 12) about the fact that MSDE 1.0 and 2000 will not be supported on Windows Vista and Longhorn. It's high time I made it official: MSDE 1.0 and 2000 will not be supported...

SSMS is a Success, But What About the VS? In my recent post I was using .NET Framework 4.0.2 to enable SQL Server Management Studio to connect to LocalDB. It all worked rather well and I declared success and moved on to another topic . I conveniently...

As a part of the release of SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 1 , we’re happy to announce the availability of a new package of SQL Server Express called Advanced Services. Advanced Services includes SQL Server Reporting Services and Full Text Search, along...

Hi, I'm attending Teched Europe where we announced the Express Products earlier this week. Several people here have asked me the difference between MSDE and SQL Server Express. I thought that that I'd include a quick high level summary here: ...

There is an extra step that you need to take when upgrading from one edition of SQL Server 2008 to another, for example when upgrading from Express to Express with Tools. This extra step is called Edition Upgrade (sometimes SKU Upgrade) and the net result...

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It's time for another release post, this time for RC0 of SQL Server 2008 Express and SQL Server 2008 Express with Advanced Services. Here is the information that everyone is waiting to hear about the SQL Express product line. (Note: If you're the impatient...

I've gotten a number of questions recently asking how SQL Express uses resources during idle time, and how that behavior impacts the way SQL Express behaves "on first connection" after being idle for a period of time. While many of these questions have...

LocalDB RC0 is Here, with a Brand New MSI! Release Candidate 0 for SQL Server 2012 has just shipped, bringing a new update to SQL Server Express LocalDB! As announced here LocalDB is a version of SQL Server Express, introduced in the CTP3 of SQL...