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Orcs Goblins and .NET

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Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server

Update (24 March 2008): Steve Smith found a more reliable solution to install the SQL Server Client Tools. Once in the tools folder open the setup folder and in there is a SqlRun_Tools.msi file. If you run that it should actually install SSMS.

When I recently installed SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server Management Studio on my computer it did not install SSMS or any of the other Client Tools. When running the installation of SQL Server 2005 I followed along with the instructions. I individually selected each component to install including the Client Tools for SQL Server. When the installation finished there was no SQL Server Management Studio.

Figuring this might be a difficult thing to Google for, I asked Steve Smith if he knew how to get the client tools. He told me that just about the only way to get SSMS to install was to sacrifice a chicken and hope for luck, because there is something weird which has to be done in order to get the program to install.

Upon scouring the folders on the disc, I discovered that the default setup file is coming from a servers folder. I tried using the setup file from the tools folder. This should have worked, but I had a slight problem. Since I had told SQL Sever to install the client tools from the wrong setup file it now believed I had them installed already and would not install them.

SQL Server 2005 Install Folders

Since the installation defaults to the Servers setup file, I never even saw the tools install. There was also no reason to even suspect one since the primary setup file claimed to be able to install the client tools.

I had to uninstall and reinstall SQL Server without the Client tools and then the setup file from the client tools would install SQL Server Management Studio. This was quite a pain, and I don't understand why the client tools are listed as options in a setup file which cannot install them. I think this is a bit crazy, but at least now when I install it I don't have this problem anymore.

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Published Monday, September 24, 2007 3:31 PM by Brendan

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Comments

# Installing SQL 2005 Management Studio @ Monday, September 24, 2007 3:48 PM

I've installed SQL Server on a few dev boxes in my time, and one thing I've noted on several occasion

Steven Smith

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Wednesday, October 03, 2007 5:54 PM

Thanks Man! It works...

Arun

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Friday, October 12, 2007 12:03 PM

Hi, I found that even after following these instructions, and after completely removing the previous installation (so I thought)... it still wouldn't install with the tools. This was (I think) because SQL Server Express had been installed before. To overcome the issue, I used the Microsoft installation cleanup utility(!)... available at: http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe I could the remove the rogue client tools still existing on the machine, but not listed in Add/Remove programs. The installer then didn't erroneously detect the client tools, and allowed a proper install. Well, that was fun!

Wodge

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Saturday, November 03, 2007 4:27 PM

The solution worked like a charm. I wasted lot of time, installing/uninstalling from Add/remove option. Finally, When I googled it, I came across this article, my savior KB and I got it. Thanks, william, UK

William

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Friday, December 07, 2007 8:39 AM

I found a link http://scottonwriting.net/sowblog/posts/4665.aspx which read that using add/remove programs => MS SQL2005 gives you an option on the very first screen to add new component. That got the component installed without having to uninstall/reinstall. This was on an install of Sql2005 Standard Edition that mysteriously didn't have client tools available whilst it was definitely checked as a component to install.

Charles Tsang

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Thursday, January 10, 2008 11:14 PM

The most intelligent explanation of how to overcome the dumbness from the orcs of Microsoft installations... Why on earth would they do that? Thanks heaps...

Gandalf

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Wednesday, February 13, 2008 3:06 AM

Hi I have the same problem. The tools are not install after installing SQL2005 even though it was shown as installed. I did a bit of a hack by

1) Browsing the DVD

2) Went into D:\ENGLISH\SQL2005\ENTERPRISE\32BIT\Tools\Setup

3) Double clicked on SqlRun_Tools.msi

4) Popup a installation window that says MS SQL 2005 Tools setup and followthe prompt.

5) I have selected the Client component which are cross out initially.

6) After the installation , 'Voila' all selected Client component are installed.

Sheng koh

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Monday, February 18, 2008 4:51 PM

Worked like a champ - glad to see I wasn't the only one with this problem. Thanks!

Doug

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Saturday, February 23, 2008 5:11 AM

Worked great, why did MS hide the Tools/setup.exe like that ??? Years ago, it used to work seamlessly.

tpham

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Tuesday, March 18, 2008 11:46 PM

thank you for this! stan

puzzled DBA

# Developer Edition 12/2005 @ Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:34 AM

The article didn't exactly work for me and my Developer Edition from the December 2005 Microsoft Licensing disks. What finally worked was to completely uninstall SQL Server and then install the client tools from Disk Two, completely skipping Disk One.

Tab Alleman

# SQL Server Client Tools Installation @ Monday, March 24, 2008 5:33 PM

A while back I blogged about how to install sql server management studio , and it got a reasonable amount

Orcs Goblins and .NET

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Monday, March 31, 2008 2:55 AM

Thank-you for taking the time to figure this out and share your knowledge.

Tracy

# re: Installing SQL Server Management Studio with SQL Server @ Tuesday, April 22, 2008 5:32 AM

We had the same problem. In the end stopping the IIS web-server seem to do the trick. Very strange.

Rob

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