Downloading and Updating Books Online
Microsoft periodically publishes updates to SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online. By installing these updates, you keep your local copy of the documentation current.
Downloading Books Online
You can download a copy of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online from the Microsoft Download Center. You can use the download file to install a new copy of SQL Server Books Online on your computer. If you already have an earlier copy of SQL Server Books Online installed on your computer, you can use the download to update that copy.
Note
Installing SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online upgrades your existing SQL Server 2008 version of Books Online. If you upgrade, be aware that the content and help topics now describe tools and features of SQL Server 2008 R2. To reinstall SQL Server 2008 Books Online, you must first uninstall SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online. Because SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 share components, you cannot have side-by-side installations of Books Online on the same machine.
Updating Local Books Online by Using Microsoft Update
Updates to the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online are included as optional software updates in the Microsoft Update service. You can use either Microsoft Update or Windows Update to scan your computer for optional updates to Microsoft software. If the scan finds an older version of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online on your computer, the latest version of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online is included in the list of available updates. To download and install the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online update, select the check box for the update, and then click Install.
For more information about Microsoft Update, see the Microsoft Update Web page.
Updating Local Books Online by Using a Download File
Each local copy of SQL Server Books Online lists the month and year it was built in two locations:
Each SQL Server Books Online topic lists the update version immediately above the topic title.
The update version is listed in the title bar of the DExplore help viewer if you open the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online from either the SQL Server 2008 R2 program group or from SQL Server Management Studio.
The SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online download Web page lists the date the update was built at the top of the page. If the date listed on the download Web page is newer than the date of your local copy of SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online, you should update your local copy by installing the update from the Web site.
Updateable Copies of Books Online
There are three ways to access SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online:
A local copy of SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online that was originally installed using either SQL Server Setup or a SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online download file. This is the only copy of SQL Server Books Online you can update using either the Microsoft Update service or a SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online download.
A copy of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online published in both the online MSDN Library and the TechNet Library. You can view the MSDN Library copy at this Web page. You cannot update this copy of SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online. Microsoft updates this copy every time that a new version of SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online is released.
A copy of the SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online in a local copy of the MSDN Library if you have installed the MSDN Library on your computer. This copy of SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online is updated when you install the latest update to the MSDN Library.
Multiple Copies of Books Online
If a user installs Business Intelligence Development Studio, SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online, and the MSDN Library, two copies of SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online appear in the table of contents. One of these was installed by the MSDN Library, and the other by SQL Server. To avoid duplicate SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online topics in search and index results, remove the MSDN Library copy of SQL Server 2008 R2 Books Online. Open Programs and Features in Control Panel, select MSDN Library for Visual Studio 2008, and then click Change. For more information, see Adding and Removing Help Collections.