Minimum install for SQL Express?

[FreeriderUK]

I have quite a small application (5MB installation) which uses SQL DB.
Is there any way I can install a bare minimum SQL Express?
At the moment, it takes up about 200MB!! Not to mention the 38MB it adds to my Setup.exe

I'm sure there's loads of stuff installed which isn't being used by my app. Am I supposed to be using something other than sqlexpr32.exe?

 

[JohnH]

You don't need to bundle the Sql Express with your deployment package, you can check it as an prerequisite and installer automatically downloads it from MS if user doesn't already have it.

 

[JohnH]

Also remind that SQL Server Express already is the barebone version of the full SQL Server.

There also exist SQL Server Compact (previously named SQL Server Mobile), that integrates with Visual Studio and has a very low footprint. This is not a database service, and its use local station only. I don't recall if this was a choice or if it installed default with VB 2008 Express.

Choosing Between SQL Server Compact 3.5 and SQL Server 2005 Express Edition - most people using a database as local application storage only need the Compact.

 

[FreeriderUK]

Thanks JohnH,

You don't need to bundle the Sql Express with your deployment package

I just didn't like the idea of users having to download more stuff.

There also exist SQL Server Compact...

I tried that just before I created this question - but it didn't work.

This is not a database service

Not sure what that means. Is this something I will need if I want my app to access the SQL DB?

Away to check out those links...

 

[JohnH]

it didn't work

It worked when I tried it

Not sure what that means. Is this something I will need if I want my app to access the SQL DB?

You need a Database Service if you need multiple machines to access a database on a centralized server machine.

 

[FreeriderUK]

It worked when I tried it

As I have been using SQL Express, my Connection String looks like this:

connectionString="Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|\RMS.mdf;Integrated Security=True;User Instance=True"

I assume I need to change the SQLEXPRESS to something else. If so, what?
Also, can I change the extension of my DB, or do I need to create a new .sdf?

 

[JohnH]

Don't know if you can change, but you can add in data sources the compact provider. It uses some different code and namespaces.

 

[FreeriderUK]

If at first you dont succeed - REBOOT!

managed to get a test app working.
Now to create a new DB to work with my main app...