How to install SQL Server 2008 Management Studio
I have a distinct feeling of déjà vu. However, I know I’m not dreaming because I’ve written about installing SQL Server Management Studio before, but last time it was for SQL Server 2005. Why oh why is it so complicated to install this piece of software!?
This time I installed Visual Studio 2010 first, which in turn installed SQL Server 2008 Express. Of course I needed SQL Server Management Studio though, so I downloaded it from Microsoft and tried to install it. And of course, when I went through the installation wizard, the option to install Management Studio didn’t seem to be there. That’s when I start bashing my head against the keyboard and asking ‘why does this have to be so hard!’...
Anyway, after a little investigation and persistence, I figured it all out. I even managed to grab some screenshots so that I would NEVER forget how to do this ever again… and hopefully it will once again help others who may be having the same problems.
- Install Service Pack 1 for Microsoft SQL Server 2008 – you need Service Pack 1 or else you won’t even be shown the option to install Management Studio.
- Run the SQL Server Management Studio installer.
- Click on ‘Installation’ in the left menu.
- Click on ‘New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation’.
- It will ask you to install ‘Setup Support files’ -yup, you have to install this in order to install other features, so go ahead and install it.
- Once it has finished installing the ‘Setup Support files’, the wizard should move you onto ‘Installation Type’. As counter-intuitive as it seems, choose the ‘Perform a new installation of SQL Server 2008’ option and click next.
- Now the wizard asks you to specify the edition of SQL Server 2008 to install. You’ll notice that both options given are greyed out – that’s what you want to see. Click next…
- ‘Feature Selection’ – brilliant. This is what you were aiming for. Here you should see a couple of different features that you can install, namely, ‘Management Tools – Basic’. Make sure it is checked then click next.
- Proceed through the next few dialogs, each of which ask you the standard installation questions like installation location, and sooner or later, you should see a nice screen telling you that it has successfully installed ‘Management Tools – Basic’. Success!!
19 comments
Leave a Reply
Hi! I'm Annie Luxton, a Software Engineer with a real passion for technology and travel, currently living in Amsterdam.
Welcome to my blog :)
Annie on Twitter
- codefrenzy: This makes me wanna cry - “@subcide: Another good illustration of NZ's internet situation. (via @TelecomNZ) #FutureBB http://t.co/HzeutKk8”
- codefrenzy: @HamishTravel Cool! Didn't know you were going to Rio! Are you there for carnival?
- codefrenzy: I don't understand why they have to block half the motorway off so that all the road workers can just stand around doing nothing!
My Instagr.am Gallery
Thanks a lot! They made sure to hide the thing pretty well. :)
@Mat Brant: Really glad it helped :)
Thanks for this!
I got caught up trying to add features to an existing install.
Really I should have tried the new installation option but for some reason I didn’t :)
@Brad: They don’t make it easy do they? Glad it helped :)
Hi Annie,
I found your post the Google while searching for help with the installation of SQL Management Studio.
I just wanted to let you and your readers know that there is a way to avoid the uninstall of SQL express if you’ve already installed it,if you’re getting “begin/invoke” message upon attempting SQL management studio installation.
When you begin the installation, when the message appears – Keep the error window upon and then navigate to the “C:\” drive and look for a folder that represents a {guid} – copy that folder to the desktop (or another temp location) – Then click OK/Close on the error message and re-attempt the installation from the folder you just copied to the desktop. This time the installation shouldnt fail and your installation steps above can be followed.
Hope that helps! All the best, and thank you for putting this blog post together otherwise i might have lost even more hours ;-)
@Khuram Malik: Wow, that sounds quite complicated! If it worked for you however, I’m sure it’ll help someone else so thanks! :)
tnx for the article!
I experienced some problem with it however, this is how i solved it:
When using Windows 7/64bit first install sql server sp3,
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=27597
Earlier versions of express edition gave me a lot of compatability errors, but this sp3 version works great.
@Frank: Good to know, thanks for the update!
First of all many thanks! I still do not understand why the installation of such tool gets so complicated.
I installed SSMS 2008 in the environment where it should be (besides SQL Server), namely MS Server 2008 R2, and when I started the installation it gave a popoup saying the software couldn’t be installed. I then realized I must install the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (although I always work with 4.0). I did it and when I run the installation again, it displayed another popup claiming that this installation has KNOWN compatibility issues. So the two latest versions oftwo MS products that work back to back have compatibility issues? And moreover you know about them and you didn’t solve them yet? Anyway I finished the installation according to your steps and it was successful. Let’s hope this compatibility issues are just made up by my drunk server :-D Greetings from Eindhoven
You are an absolute goddess! Never would have found this on my own, thank you!
@Jim Price: Really glad it helped you! :)
Thank you!!! I would have never found it if I didn’t look at your post… Microsoft makes things so easy… ;)
@Saqib: It’s not the simplest thing in the world is it? Ahh well, glad you got it working :)
Really Really helpful…Thanks a lot
Many thanks for this guide! For some reason the MS site made me download SQLE2008, SP1 and Management Tools separately, and then it decided to hide Management Tools from me when I ran the installer! Your guide made perfect sense and worked perfectly.
Thanks again!
Thanks Annie.
I ask myself many times, how can Microsoft make things SO counter-intuitive?
Wouldn’t it be more logical to have an option right off the bat to choose server components or client components?
It just makes you wonder…
Anyhow, thanks again Annie, because I had stopped the install process because I didn’t want to install server on my PC. Then I found your post.
when I Click on ‘New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation’. A window popped our and ask me Browse for sql server 2008 installation media. Please help me what is it?
I O U Big Time. Thank you.
thanks alot… it is really helpfull…