Question

I am using SQL Server Express edition for my application (Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate, C#). I found that SQL Management Studio does not support Express edition. I googled the query but didn’t find a satisfactory solution to my problem. I’ve downloaded ‘LINQPad’ but couldn’t create a database. Maybe its not a free software.

Now I want to create database and tables, so which (freeware) utility can be used to solve my problem?

Answer 1

I assume you mean that SQL Server Express does not come with Management Studio, not that Management Studio doesn’t support SQL Server Express. You can download the Express version of Management Studio here:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=22985

If you want the features that aren’t included in this version of Management Studio (for example, SQL Server Agent and other features you might want to manage against non-Express editions of SQL Server), you can buy the developer edition for ~$49 from your favorite software reseller. Or you may be licensed to install the version from the media if you already have a full edition installed in your environment.

To install Management Studio Express only (not SQL Server Express) from the executable above:

• On the Installation tab of the Installation Center, click “New Installation or add features to an existing installation”
• On the Installation Type screen, choose “New installation or add shared features” and click Next >
• Accept the license terms and click Next >
• On the Feature Selection screen, choose Management Tools – Basic and click Next >
• The rest should be next, next, next – I can’t get any further because I don’t have a machine where I can install Management Studio Express (it can’t co-exist with the proper version of Management Studio)

After you’ve done this, you should apply SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1.