Which should I install first: Visual Studio 2008 or SQL Server 2008?

Question

Half a year ago, I installed Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008. I don't quite remember which I installed first, but since then I am unable to connect to any file-based SQL server databases from the Visual Studio IDE. I think it was related to a bug in Visual Studio, the fact that I had previously installed Visual Studio 2005 on the same system and the order in which I installed both programs.

Now I am soon going to upgrade to Visual Studio Team System and I would rather avoid having the same database connection problems. Should I

A) Uninstall both Visual Studio and SQL Server, then reinstall SQL Server and afterwards Visual Studio? B) Just uninstall Visual Studio and update to VS Team System?

Thanks,

Adrian

Answer 1

I install the Developer Edition of SQL Server instead of the SQL Server Express edition that comes with VS2008. I find that the install works better if you install SQL Server first, that way there is no need to uninstall the Express edition before installing SQL Server Developer edition. I don't recommend having both editions installed. I had no end of problems until I figured out that having two versions installed was the issue. Uninstalling VS and SQL Server Express may be necessary, but I believe it was enough just to uninstall SQL Server Express and (re)install SQL Server Developer edition.

Answer 2

I don't think it matters what order they are installed.

Answer 3

There is no technical reasons why you should install one or the other first. The VS IDE is the same for both and the Visual Studio add-on's for development (C#, VB are add-ons) or SQL should install no matter what else is installed.

Personally I would install DB first - the reason is that if you install DB second the default feed for the start page is set to the SQL teams RSS feed and not the MSDN one.

Answer 4

My experience after changing from SQL 2005 Express to SQL 2008 Express was that VS would not recognize SQL 2008 and was still looking for SQL 2005.

I took these steps:

• uninstall Visual Studio
• delete all the registry keys I could find that seemed to relate to Visual Studio
• install Visual Studio

VS was now able to connect to SQL Server and user instances (file mdf) However, in the least priviledged user access account I got this error message: "Failed to generate a user instance of SQL Server due to a failure in starting the process for the user instance."

To fix this error:

• under the C:\Users[user]\AppData directory if found the folders that SQL Express was using and deleted them.

I was now able to make a database connection in Visual Studio.

Answer 5

always first add IIS to your os then intsall Office (if you need) then use windows update as long as you're sure you have no more updates then install Sql Server then use windows update to be sure you have any ServicePack needed by Sql Server then install Visual Studio then use windows update as long as you're sure you have no more updates

You can have developer and express edition of sql (even of different versions) on same machine. And you can have all the Visual Studio versions from 2003 (did not tried having also previous) to 2010.

The only caveat is: all in same language, or you will experience MSDN crash every too often, and the merge action of msdn will make an unreadable msdn on your pc.

Cimpy

Answer 6

Install visual studio by disabling sqlsever express editin option in custom installation,then install sqlserver express edition 2005 seperately and then after install mangaement studio ..u can connect to D.B...it's working...