02 December 2011

I try not to vent all that often, but this just seems deserving…

It seems like every time I install Visual Studio 2010, SQL Express doesn’t work.

I just repaved my laptop – new Win7 install, the whole works.

My previous install didn’t have working SQL Express – as in Visual Studio couldn’t create or open SQL Express files as part of a project. I’d spent a few hours trying to get it working – installing and uninstalling VS/SQL in various combinations to no avail.

The OS reinstall was, in part, because I figured I’d screwed something up so bad it just need a total restart.

Sadly, after installing Win7, Office, VS10, and then VS10 SP1 I still don’t have a working SQL Express – basically out of the box.

My conclusion? The VS10 installer is broken. What else could be wrong here?

At no point, on this new OS install, have I installed SQL Server by hand. The SQL Server install on the machine is directly from the VS10 install – and it doesn’t work.

The SQLEXPRESS service is running, but VS10 can’t talk to it.

I’m surely not looking forward to spending another ton of hours troubleshooting this problem – again. And presumably without success – again.

In short: WTF!?!