Install SQL Server 2005 Standard on a computer with SQL Express

Question

Folks,

Visual Studio installed SQL Server Express on my computer, which to date has satisfied my needs. I now need to do remote database support so need the full version of management studio. I tried to install the standard version but it is blocked, apparently because Express has newer versions of the files. Can I do this? Will they play well together?

Thanks

Doug

Answer 1

You cannot run SQL Server 2005 Express on the same machine as SQL Server Management Studio 2005. However, you can run SQL Server 2008 Express.

I uninstalled 2005 and installed 2008 on my machine to work around that problem.

See this blog post for more info.

Answer 2

You could probably also set up a slipstream for 2k5 install with the latest service packs and install it that way.

Answer 3

Your solution is pretty simple. Uninstall Express & install SQL Server 2005. Why would you need both running side by side when you have the full version besides there's less headache when you have only one instance of it.