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SQL Server 2008 Installation Confusion, VS 2008 Sp1 and NetFx 3.5 Sp1

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Ok lots of folks are confused and are having their installations bounced. There is some info in the release notes but this is the definitive KB https://support.microsoft.com/kb/956139

Let me try and explain;

SQL Server 2008 has dependencies on (and includes) VS 2008 SP1 and its components (BIDS is just VS 2008, SSMS uses components), plus NetFx 3.5sp1. SQL includes the RTM versions of both of these, HOWEVER they are not broadly released yet. There is a check in SQL Server Setup that if you have an old version (Beta, RC, whatever) it will bounce the install and ask you to upgrade to the RTM bits...which of course are not yet available independent of SQL.

KB lays out the options but for now here they basically are;

1/ Don't install the components that need SP1 of VS (basically the tools) yet, install the services and then install the tools later when Sp1 is out.

2/ Use a clean machine that does not have previous versions of VS 2008 (and I think Netfx 3.5) on it.

Of course this begs the question when are these bits going to be available for VS independent of SQL, well given the RTM bits are part of SQL you can imagine its not going to be long. And as Express is released by VS and SQL at the same time, thats when Express should also come out.

 

Clear as Mud? I try...

 

UPDATE: Thanks to a question from Dave it looks like option 2 above is going to make life VERY difficult for you if you want a box that has SQL 2008 RTM and VS 2008 Pro/Team SP1. I've pinged several folks in SQL and VS setup teams to see if there is a problem, my advice for now would be to wait until VS SP1 ships if you want an easy route to have everything on the box.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 07, 2008
    You've been kicked (a good thing) - Trackback from DotNetKicks.com

  • Anonymous
    August 07, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 07, 2008
    Dave, I have not tried it yet but theory is you can put down VS 2008 SP1 RTM once it is released, but the beta of SP1 will bounce. HOWEVER the problem will be if VS 2008 SP1 is not a full SKU install and is only diffs from RTM. I'll try and check

  • Anonymous
    August 07, 2008
    Euan, I've never known VS to release a "slipstreamed" SKU.  It's always been RTM media and then install SP after.

  • Anonymous
    August 07, 2008
    Dave, Agreed (but I have mail out to check) but if you do a clean install of SQL 2008 you end up with a full working SP1 of the VS Shell. Perhaps the SQL Setup folks are chaining the install.

  • Anonymous
    August 07, 2008
    I'm afraid that this installation is an example of poor practise on the part of the SQL Server setup team. There was clearly no consideration given to the lack of service pack availability and the ordering of installation...  Why are they not falling back and offering the option of installing the VS2k8 shell in standalone mode because we don't have SP1 (or don't have VS at all installed for fresh installs)?  Why was this not held until the pre-requisite was available? If they did it in standalone mode it wouldn't be in the main VS2k8 instance so you'd have to go back to setup to change it to integrated mode after you service packed 2k8 (or installed it), but on the bright side it'd also mean that it would run side-by-side without all this sillyness AND offer the opportunity to run the two versions at whatever service pack you have. The installs from the non-consumer branches of Microsoft have been getting poorer and poorer quality (but wayyyy more flashy and usable for the end user!) ever since .NET Framework 3.5's install and its disasterous prerequisite chain that fails on an horiffic percentage of client configurations. If it's broken, please fix it, don't just leave it released in a broken condition for yet more people to struggle with.  Admit the mistake, pull the release and put out another that has its setup chain fixed (one way or the other).

  • Anonymous
    August 08, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    August 08, 2008
    I've never known VS to release a "slipstreamed" SKU.  It's always been RTM media and then install SP after.

  • Anonymous
    August 13, 2008
    This whole debacle reminds me of the NT4 Option Pack installs.  The setup test teams really messed this up by signing off on SQL 2008 RTM.  This is truely a mess that once you get into, there is no way out of unless you re-install your OS.  I now have half-installed SQL 10, half-installed VS2008, not even sure what bits are left over of VS2008 SP1 beta. I would urge people to WAIT on installing SQL 2008 until MS can work out many of the setup bugs.

  • Anonymous
    August 13, 2008
    Frustrated Installer, With the release of VS 2008 Sp1 this week the install is very easy. Remove any betas of VS 2008, NetFx 3.5Sp1 (assuming you still have a VS/NetFx RTM install otherwise install RTM) Now install SP1 RTM of VS 2008/NetFx Sp1 Install SQL Server 2008 RTM

  • Anonymous
    August 26, 2008
    Well have installed VS2008 SP1 but my SQL Express 2008 still fails to install, complaining that I have not installed Visual Studio 2008 SP1. But I have!!!!! I also had to remove SQL 2005 Express and the tools - can't we install these side by side?

  • Anonymous
    February 03, 2009
    As Jon notes , the BizTalk course in NYC that he taught is over. I want to thank Jon for a great course. If you want to take the best BizTalk (or WF or WCF) courses around, you want to see Jon and Pluralsight. I also really enjoyed hanging out with Jon