Having a little extra time this weekend I figured it would be a good idea to get SQL 2008 RTM installed on a development laptop and configure SharePoint to work with it. Shouldn’t be a big issue, but as most things with technology there was a stumbling block.
So I fire up the install, it goes through all the standard checks and says I need Visual Studio 2008 SP1 installed. Ok, cool, so I go it the SP1 from good ol MS, Install was successful so i think all is good. Rerun the setup… KepPlunk…. Still says I have an incompatible version of visual studio 2008….
I start thinking it may having something to do with some of Express editions I have installed. Turns out that indeed it was checking the version of these for validation, actually it was checking a registry key in the location of HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftDevDivXXXServicing9.0SP. So, download the SP1 versions of the express products and you will be able to get SQL 2008 installed without a hitch.
In summary, If you ware installing SQL 2008 you need the following
1) Visual Studio 2008 SP1
2) If you are running the express products you need to install those SP1’s as well.
3) .NET framework 3.5 SP1
if all the above are installed you should be ready to install SQL Server 2008.