I wanted to download MS SQL Server Express Edition as I just want to practice in SQL Server for my studies. So I checked MS SQL Server website and after a little bit wandering on the site, got the download page from where we can download SQL Server 2008 R2 Express under "Free Database Downloads" section, for free.
Again four different versions of SQL Server 2008 R2 Express edition are there.
I got confused, which one to download. But very soon figured out the forth one I wanted. Yes, SQL Server 2008 R2 Express with Management Studio Express (twice expressed). Clicked on it, opened in a new tab. But unfortunately... nothing happened. Nothing got to download there. When clicked on other three versions, they were ready to get download. I compared the URL of all links and there you go. SQL... with Management Studio Express has linked to a different URL, as you can see the URLs of all downloads listed below in a respective order of list given in the image above:
- http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9729742
- http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9729748
- http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9729746
and the last one has a long URL...
- https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=56ad557c-03e6-4369-9c1d-e81b33d8026b
which does not work at all.
Then I noticed the pattern used in first three URLs. Did you see that? At the end of each URL the linkid end with 42, 48 and 46. So which number is missing!? Of course, It is 44. I did not think more. Copied the full URL in a new tab, changed the last two number as 44 ( http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9729744 ) and hit Enter.
A......nd.... bingo........ Microsoft-SQL-Server-2008-R2-Express-with-Management-Studio-Express... huh..(breathing)... got ready to download with 154 MB in size.
Then I installed it in my PC successfully (which took around 30 mins) and it is working perfect.
Microsoft should solve this ASAP. So others can also download it from its own website (, if they want).
No comments:
Post a Comment