I installed VS 2008, VS 2012 and the community version 2013 along with the matching SQL Servers but never needed the SQL Servers and never checked if they were properly installed.
I recently picked up SQL Server Management Studio and tried to connect to a server.
Unfortunately, it does not detect any local server, even though I have about twenty different entries in programs & apps for SQL Server related stuff including SQL Server 2012 and 2014 Express Localdb, an installation of SQL Server 2008, data-tier app frameworks, native clients, transact SQL, a couple "compact" versions, tools and what's not.
One would think that something in this mess would be recognized as a server, but apparently not so. I had an entry for SQL Server in the start menu with a nice GUI with an install DB option... that requested a server media folder (lord knows which). I tried starting manually one of the many SQL Servers (sqlservr.exe) from the program files folders to no avail (I get a message about a corrupt installation)
My DB experience is pretty much exclusively with MySQL and I am lost with all these applications that look like they should do something but don't.
I would like to have a bare bones installation that works for the following use:
Coding Winform apps with local databases (compatible with Entity Framework)
Allows to distribute the apps with local databases for free (commercial use, small data volume)
Running SQL queries from SQL Server Management Studio
What is the minimum I need for this purpose?
Should I uninstall all the existing SQL Server related programs and make a clean install from a single install file (for instance, would installing the 1.1gb SQL Server 2014 Management Studio Express 64 Bit.exe give me all I need)?
Or if not, is there any way to install a recent version and ignore the underlying mess? (I don't really care for the disk space, I just want this thing to work).
I apologize if this question is a mess but I am pretty confused with this, and I could really use a hand figuring out what's what.
Related
I have a WPF project and I will use SQL Server database. The instance of SQL Server IT created for me is SQL Server 13 (2016 standard version) on a remove server. When I’m deploying the application on a client’s computers, what version I need to install there as a prerequisite? Can I deploy SQL Server Express 2016 on a client’s computer and access the remove SQL Server Standard edition? I am looking for a simple solution and for a lighter version I need to install on the user’s computers. I cannot install a full SQL Server on each user.
I have searched the net and a similar question has been asked many times, but I didn’t find a clear answer before. Many people started their SQL Server experience using local type databases, like SQL Server CE or LocalDB. In this case specific DLLs and redistributables must be added with the installation program. It is hard to understand at the beginning, but when an instance of SQL Server is on a remote server, this is a different story. Everything is happening on this remote server. There is no need of any SQL Server instances on a client’s machine. Just a connection string must be added. The adapter or Entity Framework will take care of everything else.
I am currently developing, from the ground up, my first asp.net website. After implementing many of the more basic features for my site I have run into a problem with Visual Basic 2010's SQL Server 2008 Express. I want to have search with my site so users can look for specific records in my database, and from what I have researched Full-Text Search is the best way to go (right?). It wasn't until I tried to test my code that I realized the default Express edition doesn't have Full-Text Search enabled. My question is a.) how can I upgrade to the SQL Server Advanced Services in the middle of development without losing my Database's, and b.) what download should I use, because right now I'm thinking http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?Id=25174.
I really want to be sure that I am not only installing the right software, but that I won't completely screw up my project in the process. Along those lines, should I backup my database's and then uninstall my original version of SQL Server before downloading the Advanced Services version? I would really appreciate some help here because I have had massive headaches in the past trying to upgrade Microsoft software and just want a smooth transition.
Well it took me the entirety of a day, but I solved this! First I had to uninstall EVERYTHING regarding SQL Server. Then I downloaded http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?Id=25174 (X86 since I am on Vista) and used .\SQLEXPRESS as my Instance Name. Once it was done installing I had to delete the SQLEXPRESS folder in 'C:\Users[Your computer's name!]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server Data' to get my old connections to work! Then I could create databases in SQL Server Management Studio that had Full Text enabled.
This question may seems a bit silly. The thing is I'm programming a WPF using VS2010, which contains a .sdf database (connection is ADO.NET).
Someone told me that if I use a SQL Server Express database it can be run on any PC even it has no SQL Server installed. But after I tried executing in my virtual machine (win7 & win xp), seems it cannot even start up.
So, can someone brief me, what database do people normally use in developing WPF software? Is it true that my program using a SQL Server database file cannot execute on PC without SQL Server installed?
Much appreciate in advance!
Yes, it can!
SQL Server Compact (that produces and uses .sdf) is the only SQL Server edition that does not require a server to be installed. All its code and logic is contained in the handful of DLL's that you need to include with your application. Just ship your app with those DLL's and you should be fine.
Read more about SQL Server Compact and how to use and deploy it on MSDN.
SQL Server Express (and any of the other editions, like Web, Standard, Developer, Enterprise) on the other hand does require an installation of the SQL Server Express edition - either on that machine, or somewhere in the network where your app runs (remote connections from the network are disabled by default, but can be enabled).
I´m deploying my database to a SQL Server 2008 R2 Express instance that my software also installs. Everything works fine, but on certain target machines there are other instances of SQL Server 2008, 2005, 2000...I know that, theoretically, SQL Server instances may coexist side-by-side. But I also know that there are several conflicts between them. Internet is full of them.
My most common symptom is: server protocols are not installed with a previous installed SQL Server 2008 instance (from other vendor). In SQL Server Configuration Manager, under "SQL Server Network Configuration", the item "Protocols for 'MyInstance'" is just missing. So any client machine can connect to server.
I´d like to minimize the visits to clients house and make my application as self-deployable as possible. Is there something I can do to avoid or resolve instances conflicts? Any advice? Am I wishing for something impossible?
You probably will want to read up on what versions can live on the same server/client:
Working With Multiple Versions and Instances of SQL Server
Work with Multiple Versions and Instances of SQL Server
Both of these links have the chart regarding what side-by-side installs are supported, the second though also includes a little bit more regarding the components and those that will be upgraded to the highest release installed.
With the issue you spoke of with SSCM this can be caused by many things, most of them revolve around a corrupted installation of the management tools; or I mostly see issues with WMI calls on the client. Since most of those settings are available within the registry I would suggest looking at that side to get your instance configured and locked down.
You might also look at SQL Server Compact Edition. It is developed as an embeded database that does not require install of the full SQL Server managemnet tools. You have the same API and controlls that come with full version of SQL Server, just a "compact" install. I have interacted with one application that used it but have not done any development with it.
I have tried to install SQL Server Express 2008 on several pcs of different brands. I have no luck or what: nearly each time I get something which prevents it from installing.
Just now I got "Performance counter registry hive consistency check" failed and solution is overwelmingly complex http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300956.
How can one choose SQL Server Express 2008 as a local pc database vs MS Access as a good choice for selling an application knowing that clients risk to encounter such unsolvable problem for most of them as they are not even expert users ?
Why do so many people push for SQL Server ? Is it really objective ?
As a User myself, I have downloaded many softwares which uses SQL Server Express 2008, since I can't install, I just gave up, I won't even complain because I fear most often they wouldn't even bother (and registering for support is always a hassle). That is companies are losing potential clients without even knowing it !
If you just want a local database that you can distribute with your application, do you really need the full-blown SQL Server Express, which needs to be installed?
I think an embedded database (SQL Server CE, SQLite...) is what you need.
They don't require any installation at all, you just have to distribute a few assemblies with your application.
Run the SQL Server 2008 installer again and complete these steps.
I exported the 009 tree with regedit to Perflib.reg
Opened the Perflib.reg in Notepad
Replaced "[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib\009]" to "[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib\013]"
Save the file
Finally double click the Perflib.reg file.
This should work, you can find more here.