SQL Express 2005

Linuxman · Post by **Linuxman** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:47 pm

Is there a runtime available for SQL Express 2005 SP3. We are currently using IA8, and I only see SP2 available. Apparently SP3 will run on Windows 7 and SP2 will not. Thanks in advance.[/i]

MichaelNesmith · Post by **MichaelNesmith** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:56 am

We released this runtime as part of InstallAware 9, but you can make your own using our Application Runtimes whitepaper if you don't want to upgrade, or its actually as easy as calling Run Program on the default Microsoft runtime!

DevilSun · Post by **DevilSun** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:01 pm

LinuxMan: Even though this was part of IA9, for us, it was not a pre-requisite, but more of an "option". Not to mention, uninstalling it wants the original files. The best option for my scenario, was to extract the latest version somewhere on the build machine, and make a 7zip file out of it (IA9 supports this, not sure if IA8 does) and include it in that "feature". When that feature is installed, we extract the 7zip to their machine, and run their setup executable with all the command line options needed. Works like a champ for install/uninstall.

Linuxman · Post by **Linuxman** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:07 pm

DevilSun wrote:LinuxMan: Even though this was part of IA9, for us, it was not a pre-requisite, but more of an "option". Not to mention, uninstalling it wants the original files. The best option for my scenario, was to extract the latest version somewhere on the build machine, and make a 7zip file out of it (IA9 supports this, not sure if IA8 does) and include it in that "feature". When that feature is installed, we extract the 7zip to their machine, and run their setup executable with all the command line options needed. Works like a champ for install/uninstall.

DevilSun, can I you to provide a little more details. I am naturally a web developer, and not sure I understand. It sounds like you are are installing or saving the setup file from Microsoft on the users PC, and then calling the install through a command line and installing it. It that correct. I guess I got really lost when you refer to .7zip it. Or are you saying the file is generally already on the users computer?

DevilSun · Post by **DevilSun** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:38 am

Sure. IA9 has built in capability for 7zip compressed files, and so therefore from within MSIcode I can extract a specific compressed 7zip file. I'm not sure if IA8 (your version) has this or not...you could get around it though if not I'd guess. I 7zip'd it for ease of redistribution and inclusion into my project feature, not required. The point is to recreate the extracted directory structure on the client and to install from this recreation.

I downloaded SQL Express 2005 SP3 from Microsoft. You can extract it to a specific directory using command line "/x" I believe. Now you have the true source install files for SQL express. This is where I 7zip'd them myself and included it as part of my setup. If your IA doesn't support 7zip, you could add the entire contents of this folder as a feature or part of a feature.

Then, when you install, copy (or extract if you compressed into a single ez to distribute file) onto the client machine to recreate all the true source files/install folder structure (this way the original install files are available for installing and uninstalling later). At this point, you can install via MSIcode as you need to by calling the setup.exe in that folder with all the command line parameters you need to do your install. If you use "/qn" as one of them, there will be no UI and it will integrate fairly nicely into your installer.

This scenario worked best for me, because SQL is not a pre-req for us, because we have a hybrid installer. It's really a sub-requirement of a certain feature, so by implementing it this way I can install it in the middle of the install only when that feature is selected and not as a pre-requisite. If that does not apply to your setup/install scenario, this may not be much help to you.