Installing SQL Server 2008

Like Exchange Server, SQL Server is licensed separately from Microsoft; it isn't included with any version of Windows Server 2008. As a result, you have to install it on a Windows Server computer before you can use it to create and access SQL databases.

You'll probably want to run this installation procedure at least twice. First, you'll want to run it on a server computer to install the SQL Server 2008 server components, thus creating a SQL Server instance. Then, you'll want to run the setup procedure on a client workstation computer to install the management components that you run from a local workstation to manage the server.

Depending on the needs of your organization, you may also need to run the setup program additional times to install other components.

The following steps summarize the procedure for installing SQL Server 2008:

1. Insert the SQL Server 2008 distribution disk in the server computer's CD/DVD drive.
   The installation program should auto-start. If it doesn't, browse to the disk, open the Servers folder, and double-click the Splash.hta file.
2. Under the Install heading, click the Server Components, Tools, Books Online, and Samples link.
   This starts the SQL Server 2008 Setup program, which begins by displaying a license agreement page.
3. Select the I Accept check box and then click Next.
4. Be patient while the Setup program installs any prerequisites that are missing.
   Typically, this takes just a minute while the Setup program installs support files that are necessary for the installation to proceed.
5. When the prerequisites have been installed, click Next.
   The Setup program next displays the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Setup welcome screen.
6. Click Next.
   The Setup program checks to make sure all the requirements are in place for a successful installation of SQL Server 2008. This may take a few minutes. When all the tests are complete, you see a screen. If any errors or warnings are detected, be sure to correct them before continuing.
7. Click Next.
   The Setup program prompts you to enter your name and your company name to personalize the installation.
8. Enter your name (required) and company name (optional) and then click Next. The next screen, lets you select which components of SQL Server 2008 you want to install.
9. Select the components you want to install.
   At the minimum, you should select the first component, SQL Server Database Services.
   You can select specific elements of any of the SQL Server components by clicking the Advanced button.
   You should also install the Workstation components. However, you won't typically want to install them on the same computer that you install the SQL Database Services components on. Instead, you'll want to repeat this entire procedure, installing the Workstation components on a client computer. You can then use these components to manage the SQL Server from a client computer, without having to log on to the server.
   The remainder of this procedure assumes you have selected the SQL Server Database Services components to install a new SQL Server instance. If you're installing the Workstation components, the prompts and steps will vary slightly.
10. Click Next.
    The Setup program next asks for the name of the instance you want to create. You can leave this option set to Default Instance, which uses the name of the server as the instance name, or you can enter your own instance name if you prefer.
11. Choose the instance name and then click Next.
    The Service Account screen appears. This screen lets you specify the Windows account that will be used to run the SQL Server services on the server computer. You can leave this set to the built-in system account, or, if you prefer, you can choose a domain account to run the services. Note that if you choose to use a domain account, you must first use Active Directory Users and Computers to create the account, and you must make sure the account has adequate privileges.
12. Select the service account and then click Next.
    The Authentication Mode screen appears. This screen lets you choose one of two methods for authenticating users: Windows Authentication Mode, which relies entirely on Windows domain accounts, and Mixed Mode, which uses Windows domain accounts and accounts that are created within SQL Server. Unless you have a specific reason to use Mixed Mode (for example, you have older applications that depend on SQL Server accounts).
13. Select the authentication mode and then click Next.
    A screen called Collation Settings appears. This screen lets you change the way SQL Server sorts data. In most cases, you should leave this option set at its default.
14. Click Next.
    A screen titled Error and Usage Reporting Settings appears. This screen lets you choose whether the server should send diagnostic information to Microsoft when errors occur and whether the server should send usage data to let Microsoft know which features of SQL Server you use the most. You can enable these features if you don't care about the privacy of this information or the small performance penalty the communication incurs. If you want to keep this information private or are obsessively concerned about performance, you can disable these features.
15. Enable or disable the reporting settings and then click Next. The next screen displays a summary of what components of SQL Server will be installed.
16. Click Install to begin the installation.
    The Setup program proceeds with the installation, which can take a few minutes. A progress screen appears to indicate the installation's progress. When all components have been installed.
17. Click Next to continue.
    One final completion screen appears to congratulate you on a job well done.
18. Click Finish.