How to create a new SQL Express 2005 Instance?

[barees63]

Hi there,

Can anyone help me with this? I want to create a new named instance of SQL Express on systems where the default instance (SQLEXPRESS) already exists.

Is there a way to do this with the standard SQL Express prerequisite and a command-line option?

If I try to setup the prerequisite using my instance name using the standard IA dialog options it works fine on systems that don't already have SQLEXPRESS but it blue screens otherwise..

TIA!
Bruce

[Gizm0]

You can do it, but you need Scripting accept to MSICode, which means you need Developer version or greater.

[barees63]

I have the Studio product.. any more details?

[Gizm0]

I have the Studio product.. any more details?

Oh great. Then you have to do the following:

1) Use "Check service" for your MSSQL instance. for example MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS is the default one.
2) If it exists, call MSSQL Install plugin with your own parameters.
2) If it doesn't , bail out.

[barees63]

ok, thanks.. I did actually try something like this but when I ran the SQL Express 2005 SP2 install on a system which already had the default instance (I am using our own named instance).. the PC Blue-screened during the SQL Install.. I was hoping there was a simple way to just add another instance to an existing install, perhaps I'll try again.. Cheers!

[barees63]

Just an update on this issue, my initial testing was on Virtual PC running win2k3 server and running the SQL Express Prerequisite with an existing SQLPRESS instance failed horribly, I have now tested it on Vista with a default SQLEXPRESS instance already installed and it worked perfectly..

I'll need to do more testing on different platforms but InstallAware is working great anyway