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Andy Leonard

SSIS and ETL
Thoughts about Database and Software Development, and the tools of the trade.

SQL Server 2008 RC0 Download

The SQL Server 2008 RC0 download is available to the general public here.

For goodness' sake, don't load this on a real machine. Go get Virtual PC or Virtual Server - they're both free. You can get the Trial Editions of Windows 2008 Server here:

  • Windows Server 2008 Standard (x86 and x64)

  • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise(x86 and x64)

  • Windows Server 2008 Datacenter(x86 and x64)

  • Windows Web Server 2008(x86 and x64) 

    • You can also get a configured virtual hard drive here - already installed and ready to run.

    Regarding virtual machines: invest a day now if you are not familiar with this technology. It will save you weeks and months in the future, I promise.

    After you get your virtual envirnoment set up and running, you can install anything you like. This protects your laptop or desktop from "bad things" happening with a CTP or RC installation. You will thank me later.

     Using Virtual PC and Virtual Server, you have to install the x86 versions of the OS and SQL Server 2008 RC0. For me that's no big deal - I'm not loading it to stress it (not yet anyway), I'm loading it to learn more about it. You can too.

    :{> Andy


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    Published Tuesday, June 10, 2008 3:48 PM by andyleonard
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    Comments

     

    Peter DeBetta said:

    I wanted to blog about this! :-P

    June 10, 2008 3:27 PM
     

    Denis Gobo said:

    Hopefully this will work.......

    I downloaded the 3.1 GB monster file from MSDN twice and both times I couldn't mount the ISO, when I unrarred it I got CRC errors  :-(

    June 10, 2008 3:31 PM
     

    Peter DeBetta said:

    I mounted the ISO from MSDN subscriber downloads without issue. What are you using to mount the ISO file? May I recommend DAEMON Tools (http://www.daemon-tools.cc)

    June 10, 2008 4:05 PM
     

    Denis Gobo said:

    It is possible I had a bad file, if not unrarring it wouldn't fail either. I use VCdControlTool.exe when not using a Virtual machine since you can mount the ISO directly from within a Virtual PC

    I have used VCdControlTool with all the other CTPs,  Win2008 server, visual studio 2008 etc etc without a problem

    June 10, 2008 4:11 PM
     

    andyleonard said:

    I am installing now but it will take a while. I am also hauling boxes to a storage area. :{|

    So far it's going well.

    I forgot to credit Erik Veerman with the link - "thanks Erik for the link!" There. that's better.

    :{> Andy

    June 10, 2008 4:50 PM
     

    Peter DeBetta said:

    Must be gremlins, then, or perhaps a bad connection.

    June 10, 2008 5:21 PM
     

    andyleonard said:

    I'm up. Downloading AdventureWorks (http://www.codeplex.com/MSFTDBProdSamples/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=14274) now.

    :{> Andy

    June 10, 2008 10:05 PM
     

    Hans Olav said:

    I would say "for godness' sake, don't load it on a real machine" is an expression a bit too strong. I've been running all CTPs since last summer on my laptop with no big problems. Of course, I could hit a snag and have to reinstall the machine, but that's a risk I'm willing to take to get optimal performance with no need to boot up virtual machines every time I want to play with it.

    Just make sure to thoroughly clean out the previous installation before loading up the next.

    June 11, 2008 1:16 AM
     

    AaronBertrand said:

    Denis, you're not alone.  I just downloaded the self-extracting EXE for 32-bit, and 1 GB of download later, I launched the file and got a very generic "file is corrupt" error when it was extracting dotnetfx35.exe.  :-(

    June 11, 2008 8:27 PM
     

    Denis Gobo said:

    Aaron,

    I had no problem with the 1GB file, as a matter of fact I did an install on my other PC, I didn't like doing an upgrade from 2005

    June 12, 2008 9:49 AM
     

    TechVsLife said:

    The only beef I have with RC0 is that its setup program has a rule disallowing the installation of sql server, so I can't test it (I don't know how to install except by running setup.exe):

    Setup for 32-bit Sql RC0 won't run on x64: exits with an error rejecting x64 OS and rejecting WOW64.  

    See:

    http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3487869&SiteID=17

    June 15, 2008 2:48 PM
     

    Shams said:

    I have installed the .net framework 3.5 separately which was succesful, but am still getting the error at startup saying .net framework 3.5 installation failed. any ideas ?

    June 19, 2008 4:23 PM

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    About andyleonard

    Andy Leonard is a SQL Server MVP, database developer, engineer, husband, and father. Andy lives in Farmville Virginia with his lovely bride Christy Lynn and their three children: Stevie Ray, Emma Grace, and Riley Cooper. Andy's two older children - Manda and Penny - are grown and married. When he's not working (and Andy works a lot), he enjoys spending time with his family, working on their old farmhouse, fishing, and reading older sci-fi series.

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