I'm trying to install SQL Server 2005 Express so I can use it with
Visual Studio 2005 Professional to develop some practice ASP web apps.
The instructions I'm following want the .mdf file created in the
app_data folder of the ASP program but I can't get SQL Server to do
that. If I right click on the app_data folder and say add new item, sql
database it says:

connections to sql server files (*.mdf) require sql server express 2005
to function properly. Please verify the installation of the component
or download from the URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=49251

That's where I got SQL Server 2005 from. I also got the SQL Server
Management Studio Express and it will allow me to create the database
but only in it's directory under program files etc.

Any ideas?

Here's what I'm trying to do direct from MS (Create a Database)
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/lib...54(VS.80).aspx

Why doesn't it work?????

I have VS 2005 Pro and SQL Server 2005 Express.


cj wrote:

Hi,
I tried your process and everything worked fine at my side.
My test process is as following:
1. Run "sqlcmd /SCharles-2k3\SQLEXPRESS /E" from command line to log on my
SQL Server 2005 Express, and then run:
sp_configure 'user instances enabled',1
Go
Reconfigure
Go
2. Create a new Web site from VS2005, right click the APP_DATA folder,
click Add New Item..., select SQL Database, enter a database name 'TestDB',
and click OK.

After the process, the TestDB.mdf was created under the APP_Data folder and
shown under the Data Connections folder in Server Explorer, and I could add
new tables from Server Exploerer.

Please first run:
sp_configure 'show advanced options',1
go
sp_configure
go
to check if the option 'user instances enabled' was enabled, if not, please
enable it. If it had been enabled, I am afraid that your SQL Server 2005
Express may not be correctly installed. I recommend that you reinstall SQL
Server 2005 Express to see if this issue persists.

Also, you may check if installing SQL Server 2005 SP2 is helpful for your
situation:
SQL Server 2005 Express Edition SP2
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download/

If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to let me
know. It is my pleasure to be of assistance.

Best regards,
Charles Wang
Microsoft Online Community Support
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Hi Charles,

I had asked a similar question in the VB forum and between your answer
below and Steven Cheng's answer in the VB forum I got it working.

I believe user instances are enabled. I ran "sqlcmd -S cj\sqlexpress"
from the dos prompt then
1> sp_configure
2> go
config_value & run_value both show 1 for user instances enabled

What solved the problem turned out to be the instance name. I went with
the defaults in installing SQL Server. I never changed anything in
Visual Studio either but apparently I needed to. In Visual Studio 2005,
open the Tools menu, click on the "Options" item, Select the "Database
Tools" node, Select the "Data Connections" child node. In the text box
labeled: "SQL server Instance Name (blank for default)". I had left it
blank as I installed everything with default values but it solved the
problem when I put in SQLEXPRESS in the box.

I don't know what Visual Studio was thinking the default name was when
it was left blank but I guess it really doesn't matter.

Thank you very much for you help.

CJ


Charles Wang[MSFT] wrote:

Hi CJ,

Appreciate your update and response. I am glad to hear that the problem has
been fixed. If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact us. It is always our pleasure to be of assistance.

Have a nice day!

Best regards,
Charles Wang
Microsoft Online Community Support
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Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscripti...t/default.aspx.
================================================== ====
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your newsreader so that others may learn and benefit
from this issue.
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