Can I install SQL Server with SQL Server Express?

Question

I already use a third-party application that uses SQL Server Express 2008 as a backend, and therefore installs it on my PC (Windows 7 Ultimate).

I need to do development work with SQL Server 2012 Web Edition, so I need to install it on my computer. Will this cause conflicts with the application, which depend on SQL Server Express? Do I need to transfer data from a SQL Server Express installation to SQL Server 2012? (I am worried that it might break, as I do not control the application that uses it.)

Answer 1

Multiple instances of SQL Server can coexist absolutely on the same system.

Typically, the first instance will be called the default instance and will be addressed as "" (no instance name) - for example. You connect to it using the name of the local machine (or IP address) or . or (local) (when connecting to a locally installed instance by default).

Any other instance of SQL Server on the same computer must be a named instance , for example. have a unique name. SQL Server Express is typically installed as an instance of SQLEXPRESS , but this is an agreement, not a technical requirement.

As long as you make sure that your different instances have unique names (they are installed on this computer), you should not have problems starting 2 (or even more) instances of SQL Server — with different versions and releases.

Answer 2

That should be good.

When installing SQL Server on a computer on which a version is already installed, you should be asked to specify the instance name - this is the name of the instance with which you need to connect.

See this in the InformIt article for more details.