Configuring SQL Server Express 2005

SQL Express 2005, a beta of the next version of the MSDE database, is free for download from MS and interesting for all of the Yukon features that have been included. It has been announced here and several other places in the past.

I never gave it a test drive myself, but I have a friend who is using it for development, and it turns out it is a little short on documentation, specifically on how to connect to and administer the server. Configuring SQL Server Express 2005 is a great guide to doing so. To frame the pain:

turned on my home computer and downloaded the package of Web Dev Express, ASP.Net 2.0 Framework, and SQL Server Express. I installed all three. My excitement still ran strong while I fired up Web Dev Express for the first time.

Every trace of my excitement was smashed and crushed as I clicked on Database Explorer, tried to connect to SQL, and received my first (of many) error message. Within a relatively short period of time, there was no excitement left, simply frustration, but thankfully a good amount of determination.

The following is the result of my entire weekend spent agonizing, searching, yelling, troubleshooting, screaming, and finally exulting in my efforts to configure SQL Server Express 2005.

Seems to me this could have been handled much better by Microsoft.