Installation Requirements for SQL Server Express SP 4 |

Updated: 11/19/2010

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# Contents

System Requirements

Before You Install SQL Server Express

Using Command Prompt Options to Install SQL Server Express

Modifying SQL Server Express Installed Components

Upgrading MSDE to SQL Server Express

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# System Requirements

The following table lists the prerequisite software and minimum hardware and software requirements for running Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express). To determine if the computer meets the system requirements, from the Start menu, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. The General tab displays the CPU type and speed, and the amount of installed memory (RAM).

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Prerequisite software | Microsoft .NET Framework Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later (prerequisite for .NET Framework)
RAM | Minimum: 192 MB Recommended: 512 MB or higher
Hard Disk space | 600 MB free space
Processor | Pentium III Compatible or higher Minimum: 500 MHz Recommended: 1 GHz or higher
Operating System | Windows Server 2003 SP1 (includes Enterprise Edition, Datacenter Edition, and Web Edition) or later Windows Small Business Server 2003 SP1 (includes Standard Edition and Premium Edition) or later Windows 7, Windows Vista¹, and Windows XP SP2 Windows 2000 SP4 (Professional Edition, Server Edition, Advanced Edition, and Datacenter Server Edition) Virtual PC Virtual Server
Note:
¹Windows XP Embedded Edition is not supported in this release.

¹Windows Vista is also supported on SQL Server Express SP1.

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# Before You Install SQL Server Express

Before you install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express), make sure that you install the correct version of .NET Framework associated with SQL Server Express.

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SQL Server Express version | .NET Framework version
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SQL Server 2005 Express Edition | If you are installing SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, perform the following steps in order: Uninstall .NET Framework 1.2 and later versions from your computer (versions 1.0 and 1.1 do not have to be uninstalled). Then, install .NET Framework 2.0. from the .NET Framework 2.0 Download Center. Install SQL Server 2005 Express Edition from the Microsoft Web site.

# Using Command Prompt Options to Install SQL Server Express

SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express) Setup provides a command prompt interface in addition to the graphical user interface. See "Running Setup from the Command Prompt" in SQL Server 2005 Books Online to customize how Setup installs SQL Server Express.

Note:
SQL Server Express is a limited edition of SQL Server 2005. The setup experience using the command prompt for SQL Server Express is similar to that of SQL Server 2005.

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# Modifying SQL Server Express Installed Components

If you install SQL Server Express from the download center on the SQL Server Express Web site, you will use sqlexpr.exe to run Setup. If sqlexpr.exe is run directly without saving to a folder, the temporary directory where the binary files are extracted is deleted after the installation is complete. If you try to modify the SQL Server Express components by using Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel, the Change button looks for a setup directory but cannot find it.

To modify the installed SQL Server Express components, you must download sqlexpr.exe again from the Web site, and save the .exe to a folder. At the command prompt, change the path to the folder where the .exe is stored, and run Setup by using the sqlexpr.exe –x parameter. You are prompted to select an extraction/installation directory.

When you have extracted the Setup files, you can use the Change button to make modifications to your SQL Server Express installation by specifying the extraction directory when prompted.

Note:
This scenario is not true when SQL Server Express is installed as part of Visual Studio 2005 Express. For more information about Visual Studio Express, see Visual Studio 2005 Express Products.

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# Upgrading MSDE to SQL Server Express

If MDSE was installed with an MSI setup, the existing MSDE instance is upgraded when you install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express) with the same instance name. Use the Default instance option when you run SQL Server Express Setup. The exception to this is if the version of SQL Server Express you are installing is not the English-language version. Then, the MSDE installation you are upgrading must either be the same language as the SQL Server Express version, or it must be English.

If MSDE was installed as part of another application that used its own install program, the SQL Server Express installation program does not know about it. In this scenario, the only way to upgrade SQL Server Express is to install SQL Server Express under another instance name. Use the Named Instance option to specify a new instance name when you run SQL Server Express Setup, and then detach the databases from MSDE and attach them to SQL Server Express.

To know if MSDE was installed as part of another application, in Control Panel, go to Add or Remove Programs. If MSDE does not appear in Add or Remove Programs, it was installed as part of another application. In this scenario, the only way to remove MSDE is to uninstall the application that installed MSDE. In most situations, the application vendor, rather than the application users, handles the upgrade.

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