Hardware and Software Requirements (SQL Server Express)

SQL Server Setup

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Updated: 17 July 2006

The following tables list the prerequisite software and minimum hardware and software requirements for running Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express), Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services (SQL Server Express), and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Toolkit (SQL Server Express Toolkit).

Note:
To determine if the computer meets the system requirements, from the Start menu, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. The General tab displays the CPU type and speed, and the amount of installed memory (RAM).

System requirements (32-bit) for SQL Server Express

Prerequisite software

Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

SQL Server Setup requires Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8 SP1 or later. You can download MDAC 2.8 SP1 from this Microsoft Web site.

Internet Requirements

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 or later (prerequisite for .NET Framework)

RAM

Minimum: 192 MB

Recommended: 512 MB or higher

Hard Disk space

600 MB free space

Processor

Pentium III Compatible or higher

Minimum: 500 MHz

Recommended: 1 GHz or higher

Operating System

Windows Server 2003 SP1

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP1

Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition SP1

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition SP1

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition SP1

Windows XP Professional SP2

Windows XP Home Edition SP2

Windows XP Tablet Edition SP2

Windows XP Media Edition SP2

Windows 2000 Professional Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Server Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Advanced Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Edition SP4

Virtual PC

Virtual Server

Windows Vista Home Basic²

Windows Vista Home Premium²

Windows Vista Business²

Windows Vista Enterprise²

Windows Vista Ultimate²

Note There is no support in this release for Windows XP Embedded Edition.

²With Windows Vista, all SQL Server Express SP2 editions are supported. The only SP1 edition supported is SQL Server Express SP1.

System requirements for SQL Server Express with Advanced Services

The following table lists the prerequisite software and minimum hardware and software requirements for running Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services (SQL Server Express).

Prerequisite software

Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

SQL Server Setup requires Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8 SP1 or later. You can download MDAC 2.8 SP1 from this Microsoft Web site.

Internet Requirements

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 or later (prerequisite for .NET Framework)

Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 or later is required for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services (SSRS) installations.
For more information on how to install IIS, see How to: Install Microsoft Internet Information Services in SQL Server 2005 Books Online.

RAM

Minimum: 512 MB

Recommended: 1GB or higher

Hard Disk space

600 MB free space

Processor

Pentium III Compatible or higher

Minimum: 600 MHz

Recommended: 1 GHz or higher

Operating System

Windows Server 2003 SP1

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP1

Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition SP1

Windows Server 2003 Web Edition SP1

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition SP1

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition SP1

Windows XP Professional SP2

Windows XP Tablet Edition SP2

Windows XP Home Edition SP2¹

Windows XP Media Edition SP2¹

Windows 2000 Professional Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Server Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Advanced Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Edition SP4

Virtual PC

Virtual Server

Windows Vista Home Basic²

Windows Vista Home Premium²

Windows Vista Business²

Windows Vista Enterprise²

Windows Vista Ultimate²

Note:
There is no support in this release for Windows XP Embedded Edition

¹Reporting Services, which is installed as part of SQL Server Express with Advanced Services, will not install on operating systems that do not include Internet Information Services (IIS).

²With Windows Vista, all SQL Server Express SP2 editions are supported. The only SP1 edition supported is SQL Server Express SP1.

System Requirements for SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Toolkit SP2

Prerequisite software

Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0

SQL Server Setup requires Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.6 or later. You can download MDAC 2.8 SP1 from this Microsoft Web site.

Internet Requirements

Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 or later (prerequisite for .NET Framework)

Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 or later is required for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services (SSRS) installations.
For more information on how to install IIS, see How to: Install Microsoft Internet Information Services in SQL Server 2005 Books Online.

RAM

Minimum: 512 MB

Recommended: 1GB or higher

Hard Disk space

600 MB free space

Processor

Pentium III Compatible or higher

Minimum: 600 MHz

Recommended: 1 GHz or higher

Operating System

Windows Server 2003 SP1

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP1

Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition SP1

Windows Server 2003 Web Edition SP1

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition SP1

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition SP1

Windows XP Professional SP2

Windows XP Tablet Edition SP2

Windows XP Home Edition SP2

Windows XP Media Edition SP2

Windows 2000 Professional Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Server Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Advanced Edition SP4

Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Edition SP4

Virtual PC

Virtual Server

Windows Vista Home Basic²

Windows Vista Home Premium²

Windows Vista Business²

Windows Vista Enterprise²

Windows Vista Ultimate²

Note:
There is no support in this release for Windows XP Embedded Edition

¹Reporting Services, which is installed as part of SQL Server Express with Advanced Services, will not install on operating systems that do not include Internet Information Services (IIS).

² With Windows Vista, all SQL Server Express SP2 editions are supported. The only SP1 edition supported is SQL Server Express SP1.

SQL Server Express Install Packages

There are two executables available to install SQL Server Express:

SQLEXPR.EXE. Installs on x86-based computers and supports WoW64 on x64 but not IA64.
SQLEXPR32.EXE. Install on x86-based computers only. This program will not run on any 64-bit platform (not even WoW64).

Change History

Release History

5 December 2005

Changed content:

Updated operating system list.

Updated the description of install packages.

14 April 2006

Changed content:

Added operating system list for new editions of SQL Server Express.

17 July 2006

Changed content:

Added MDAC as a software requirement to all three editions of SQL Server Express.

12 December 2006

Changed content:

Added Windows Vista support

Release	History
5 December 2005	Changed content: Updated operating system list. Updated the description of install packages.
14 April 2006	Changed content: Added operating system list for new editions of SQL Server Express.
17 July 2006	Changed content: Added MDAC as a software requirement to all three editions of SQL Server Express.
12 December 2006	Changed content: Added Windows Vista support

Hardware and Software Requirements (SQL Server Express)

SQL Server Setup

System requirements (32-bit) for SQL Server Express

System requirements for SQL Server Express with Advanced Services

System Requirements for SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Toolkit SP2

SQL Server Express Install Packages

Change History

See Also

Tasks

Concepts

Get in touch

Prerequisite software	Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SQL Server Setup requires Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.8 SP1 or later. You can download MDAC 2.8 SP1 from this Microsoft Web site.
Internet Requirements	Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 or later (prerequisite for .NET Framework)
RAM	Minimum: 192 MB Recommended: 512 MB or higher
Hard Disk space	600 MB free space
Processor	Pentium III Compatible or higher Minimum: 500 MHz Recommended: 1 GHz or higher
Operating System	Windows Server 2003 SP1 Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP1 Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition SP1 Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition SP1 Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition SP1 Windows XP Professional SP2 Windows XP Home Edition SP2 Windows XP Tablet Edition SP2 Windows XP Media Edition SP2 Windows 2000 Professional Edition SP4 Windows 2000 Server Edition SP4 Windows 2000 Advanced Edition SP4 Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Edition SP4 Virtual PC Virtual Server Windows Vista Home Basic² Windows Vista Home Premium² Windows Vista Business² Windows Vista Enterprise² Windows Vista Ultimate² Note There is no support in this release for Windows XP Embedded Edition.