Which service pack to install with SQL Server 2008 Express on Windows 7?

[IanEsteves]

I am installing ArcSDE and SQL Server Express on my windows 7 64 bit machine.

This page is a bit confusing:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/geodatabase/10.0/install_guides/arcgis_desktop_or_arcgis_engine_microsoft_...

Which should I install?

SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20302

or

SQL Server 2008 Express Edition Service Pack 1
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=25052

Also how do I know if the ArcSDE for Microsoft SQL Server Express Setup, is installing the 32bit or the 64bit SQL Server Express?
My internet connection is too slow, otherwise I would download the 900MB of Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 SP1 - Express Edition with advanced services,
and ignore the sql server that comes on the ArcGIS desktop CD.

Thanks

[VinceAngelo]

It's difficult for us to know which version you should use without more information:

Which version of ArcGIS are you using?

Which version of ArcSDE are you using?

Which flavor of ArcSDE are you using?  If you are using Enterprise ArcSDE, what is the application
word size you are using?  (Workgroup and Personal will only be 32-bit at 10.0.)

You really ought not try to superceed the Express that's installed with Personal or Workgroup editions
of ArcSDE -- they are tightly coupled to the Personal/Workgroup ArcSDE that deploys them.

- V

[ShannonShields]

The ArcGIS 10 media ships with SQL Server 2008 Express w/ Advanced Services RTM (not patched). This particular edition of SQL Server Express is not available as a patched download like the plain vanilla SQL Server Express. However, you really only need Advanced Services if you intend on using this with Metadata Server  which requires full-text indexing capability. Otherwise you can safely use the smaller edition.

If your internet connection is slow, and you need the Advanced Services capability, I'd install the version that is delivered with the ArcGIS 10 media, then download the service pack, which is somewhat smaller. SQL Server 2008 is now up to SP3. I'd recommend installing that instead of SP1 - I usually try to keep my SQL Server instances patched with the latest. You'd download the generic 'SQL Server' service pack - one install applies to all editions of SQL Server. If you don't need advanced services you can download regular SQL Server Express 2008 SP3 here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=27597

It is one third the size of the full SP3 download, which can be found here:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=27594

The ArcSDE for SQL Server Express setup will automatically install the version that matches your OS - if you are running 64-bit, you'll get the 64-bit SQL Server Express.

If you download and install your own SQL Server Express, you'll still need to run the ArcSDE for SQL Server Express setup to license the instance for use with ArcGIS - just uncheck the option to install SQL Server, but make sure the second option (Enable Geodatabase Storage) is checked.

And...if you are downloading your own SQL Server Express setup, you may want to go with SQL Server 2008 R2 (the next version up from 2008). It is supported with 10 and contains numerous enhancements to 2008.

-Shannon