SQL Server Installation Guide – All Steps

SQL Server Installation

SQL Server Installation. After discussing what is a database and its queries. Let’s install the SQL Server and SQL Server Management Studio. We need to first set up the SQL server. I can tell you all the software you need to download and install. You need to install two software.

1. SQL Server
2. SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

The SQL server is the software where you store the data and create your databases. SQL Server Management Studio is the software that helps you manage the database. When I say manage the database I mean CRUD operations.

1. Create a new database
2. Create new tables in the database
3. Read the data from the database
4. Update database
5. Delete Database
6. Delete tables and rows or columns

The above operations can be performed easily with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). We just need to write the query in SSMS and it will run it against the database.

Downloading SQL Server and SSMS

First of all, you need to download and install SQL Server. You can search on Google SQL Server and you will find a Microsoft result.

When you will click on this result, you will be on a page where you will have several options like –

1. SQL Server 2019 on-premises
2. SQL Server 2019 on Azure
3. SQL Server 2019 Developer
4. SQL Server 2019 Express

Among all these options you will click on SQL Server 2019 Express which is a free edition of SQL Server. From this point on, we will do this installation in steps.

Step 1

1. Basic – This Option will install the default features of the server is the default directory chosen by the developer of SQL Server.
2. Custom – This option will let you choose the directory and full features of the SQL Server.
3. Download Media – This option will download the whole package of SQL Server and you can save it separately to install it afterward.

At this point, I will choose the custom option because I need to install the SQL Server with all the features.

Step 2

The setup that you have just run will download the package of installation files as shown in the screenshot below.

Step 3

Once the download is complete you will see the SQL Server Installation Center with a lot of options. You need to choose the highlighted options below.

Step 4

You need to accept the Microsoft Licence Terms by pressing the checkbox and then press next.

Step 5

Check the option of auto update and press next.

Step 6

At the next screen, all four parameters will be checked that your computer needs to pass for successful SQL Installation. Do not worry if Windows Firewall shows a Warning. Just Ignore it.

Step 7

At this point you have two options, You can decide to go with the default features of SQL Server or select all for all features. I will go with all features so I will click on Select All and click next.

Step 8

At this point the Installation Wizard asking you to choose a name for your SQL Server. I will recommend that you don’t make any changes here and stay with Named Instance and press next.

Step 9

Do not make any change at this stage because you are going to use SQL as a standalone system. Let the first option be selected and press next.

Step 10

Do not make any changes just let the first option selected and press next.

Step 11

At this point, showing you the components of SQL Servers that are going to be installed and also showing you their startup services. For some features, the startup service type will be Automatic and others will be Manual and even Disabled. You just need to press Next without making any changes.

Step 12

This step is very crucial. Here it is asking you, how you would like to log in to your SQL Server. There are two options.

1. Windows Authentication Mode.
2. Mixed Mode.

In Windows Authentication Mode, you can log in to SQL Server with Windows Credentials.

In Mixed mode, You will be able to log in to the SQL server both Windows Credentials and SQL Credentials. It will ask you a password as well to set up a separate user in SQL Server so that you can use that username Localhost and password to log in to SQL Server.

I will go with mixed and give a password. Save this password somewhere, you would need it when you would not log in using Windows Credentials.

You will see the Windows User will be automatically added as Administrator, In case it is not added automatically, you need to press the Add Current User button to add a user, then press next.

Step 13

Accept the terms and conditions of the Microsoft R Open software and press next.

Step 14

Accept the terms and conditions of the Python software and press next.

Step 15

At this step the installation of SQL Server is complete and your computer needs to be restarted. Without restart, the process will not go up. After the restart, we will install the SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio).

Step 16

Press Close button and restart the computer.

Step 17

After restarting your computer, we need to again open the SQL Server Installation Center. Look at the steps below and open it.

Step 18

Choose the installation option from the left panel and press the Install SQL Server Management Tools.

Step 19

Once you click on the Install SQL Server Management Tools option, it will redirect you to the website of Microsoft. You need to click on the link to download SSMS software and run it.

Step 20

Once the setup of SSMS software is running, you will see the wizard of Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio. Press Install and let the software install on the computer.

Step 21

At this step the installation of Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio is complete. Press the Restart button to restart the computer again.

Step 22

Need to follow the steps below open SSMS and login the SSMS.

Step 23

The server type and Server Name will be auto-populated. You need to choose the authentication system as Windows Authentication and press connect.

I prefer Windows Authentication.

Step 24

If you do not get any error and you are at the below screen. It means you have successfully logged in to SSMS and ready to work with it.

Note – The steps that I have given you here are as per today. If you will check after some months or years, these options might be changed.

I hope this Article is helpful. Feel free to comment in case of any feedback.

Stay Safe Stay Healthy. Take Care Guys!