How to install SQL Server 2005 Express in Windows 8

Question

I tried to install SQL Server 2005 Express SP3 x64 on Windows 8 but the installer gives me an error:

An installation package for the product Microsoft SQL server native Client cannot be found. Try the installation again using a valid copy of the installation package 'sqlncli_x64.msi'

How can I solve the problem?

Answer 1

I had the same problem. But I also had to perform additional steps. Here is what I did.

Perform the following steps (Only 64bit version of SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition tested on Windows 8 Pro 64bit)

1. Extract sqlncli.msi / sqlncli_x64.msi from SP3 or SP4. I did it from SP4
2. Install sqlncli
3. Start SQL Server 2005 Setup
4. During setup I received an error The SQL Server service failed to start. For more information, see the SQL Server Books Online topics, "How to: View SQL Server 2005 Setup Log Files" and "Starting SQL Server Manually."
5. Don't click cancel yet. From an installation of SQL Server 2005 SP3 or SP4 copy SQLSERVR.EXE and SQLOS.DLL files and put them in your SQL install folder.
6. Click RETRY

For STEP 5 above: Although I didn't try looking into SP4 / SP3 setup for SQLSERVR.EXE and SQLOS.DLL but if you don't have an existing installation of SQL Server 2005 SP3/SP4 then maybe try looking into the SP3/SP4 EXE (Compressed file). I am not sure if this may help. In any case you can create a VM and install SQL Server 2005 with SP3/Sp4 to copy the files for Windows 8