Installing SQL Express 2008 As A Default Instance

<div><p>I installed SQL Express 2008 yesterday for the first time and ran into an interesting “feature”. I was trying to set it up as a default instance, which seems pretty straightforward based on this screenshot:</p> <p> </p> <p>The only problem is that after the install was complete I had a named instance called <strong>SQLEXPRESS</strong>. I did the install again, thinking maybe I had missed something, and got the same result. It turns out that the current release of SQL Express simply ignores that “Default instance” checkbox and creates an instance with whatever name was entered in the “Instance ID” field.</p> <p>Fortunately there’s a workaround: Create a named instance called <strong>MSSQLSERVER</strong> (also using MSSQLSERVER as the Instance ID):</p> <p> </p> <p>This issue has been reported as <a href="https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx?FeedbackID=361809&wa=wsignin1.0" target="_blank">Bug ID 361809 in Connect</a> and Microsoft has indicated that it will be fixed in the next public update which will be released “soon”</p> </div>

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