A few weeks ago I posted an article about a problem I was having with
SQLExpress 2008. See it here:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp....c3348aa2c09188

I would like to followup on this a bit. Specifically, the comment the
responder made:

"This is normal behaviour for the installer of SQL Express."

I have installed SQLExpress 2005 and 2008 and SQL Server 2008, 2008
and 2008 R2 on several flavors of operating systems.

The setups for all flavors of SQL Server all ask if you want to
install a default instance or a named instance. If you select a named
instance in order to connect, you must connect to "<computername>
\<instancename>".

If you choose a default instance you connect to either "(local)" or
"<computername>".

I have found that the setup for SQLExpress 2005 doesn't even ask if
you want to install a default instance or a named instance. I installs
a named instance named SQLEXPRESS.

So you must connect specifying "<computername>\SQLEXPRESS".

Now, here's the rub. If you install SQLExpress 2008, it DOES ask if
you want a default instance or a named instance. It suggests a named
instance of the name SQLEXPRESS.

But if you select default instance, it still installs a named instance
and you must specify "<computername>\SQLEXPRESS" in order to connect.

Why does it even ask if you want a default instance when it is going
to ignore it?

Is there any way around this? Can you change the instance to a default
instance after installation?

Joe Cool (joecool1969 (AT) live (DOT) com) writes:
No, you cannot change the ID of an instance.

I would guess that if you give the instance ID MSSQLSERVER that you get a
default instance, but I have not tried it. Unattended install may also have
some good options.


--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se

Links for SQL Server Books Online:
SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx
SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx

On Jun 12, 6:07*pm, Erland Sommarskog <esq... (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se> wrote:
Unattended install?

On Jun 12, 6:15*pm, Joe Cool <joecool1... (AT) live (DOT) com> wrote:
Never mind, I found out what it is.

On Jun 12, 3:16*pm, Joe Cool <joecool1... (AT) live (DOT) com> wrote:
I have seen several vendor desktop products that come with the SQL
Server Express edition and I suspect that the instance name change
feature is for their use as the vendors have renamed SQLEXPRESS to
their Product Name.

HTH -- Mark D Powell --