SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB Installation

SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB is a light-weight version of SQL Server Express especially targeting application developers. SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB prevents programmers to deal with database maintenance tasks and enables them to concantrate on their code. Since SQL Server LocalDB does not require many of SQL Server instances, it does not require server resources so does not bring heavy workload on development machines.

After downloading setup files unpack box files in a folder. You will see the SETUP executable in the SQL Server installation folder

extracted setup file list for SQL Server 2012 Express

A User Access Control (UAC) screen may request your approval for SQL Server 2012 Express edition installation

UAC for SQL Server setup

SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB Setup

SQL Server Installation Center

SQL Server 2012 Denali CTP3 Setup Support Rules

.NET Framework prerequisites

I had problems on my local computer where I wanted to install Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB related with missing Microsoft .NET upgrades. This is one of the prerequisites of the SQL Server 2012 Denali setup. Administrators can find setup files and detailed information at KB958488

For the solution, I downloaded both of the .NET Framework update packages.
First I install the .msu file Windows6.1-KB958488-v6001-x86 This update requires a reboot of the installing server.
After restart, as I did you can continue with Windows6.1-KB979900-x86 install.
After both packages are installed, you can restart installing SQL Server Express 2012 by re-running the setup application in SQLEXPR_x86_ENU folder.

When the setup wizard starts again, the license term screen is displayed at firs. Accept the license terms and continue with next screen.

SQL Server 2012 Express License Terms

The setup wizard was unable to connect Microsoft Windows Update so I got this error during Product Updates step. But this error does not prevent SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB installation with success.

product updates through Windows Update failure

This is the default feature selection screen displayed on the Installation Center You can add or remove SQL Server features using this screen.

SQL Server 2012 Express installation feature selection

LocalDB is a lightweight version of the SQL Server Express Database Engine that has the same programmability features, yet starts on demand and runs in user mode.

Mark the LocalDB selection for installing brand new SQL Server Express LocalDB edition

select LocalDB as SQL Server 2011 Express installation

error reporting

setup progress

SQL Server 12 installation completed

Here is the text displayed on screen. I'll place this text here, because I believe that there is useful information for developers who want to install SQL Server 2012 LocalDB

Viewing Microsoft Books Online for SQL Server in this Release

To view Books Online content for this release, you must use Help Library Manager to download and install content. For more information, see Adding and Removing Help Collections: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=204448&clcid=0x409 in the MSDN Library.

Microsoft Update

For information about how to use Microsoft Update to identify updates for SQL Server “Denali”, see the Microsoft Update Web site: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=108409.

Samples

By default, sample databases and sample code are not installed as part of SQL Server Setup. To install sample databases and sample code for non-Express editions of SQL Server “Denali”, see the CodePlex Web site: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182887. To read about support for SQL Server sample databases and sample code for SQL Server Express, see the Databases and Samples Overview on the CodePlex Web site: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182888.

Release Notes

For more information about late-breaking changes in this release of SQL Server, see the latest readme file: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182684.
Documentation and Links

To install the .NET Framework SDK, see Installing the .Net Framework SDK: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=141693.

For information about SQL Server “Denali” Surface Area Configuration, see the following SQL Server “Denali” documentation topics:

· In SQL Server Setup Help: “Minimize SQL Server “Denali” Surface Area.”

· In SQL Server “Denali” Books Online in the MSDN Library: Understanding Surface Area Configuration: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=182685.

After you complete SQL Server 2012 installation is completed, you can see the installed SQL Server instance on the discovery report. Discovery Report is a SQL Server tool that is shipped with SQL Server Installation Center which enables administrators to view a report of all SQL Server versions (including SQL Server 2000, SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2012, aka Denali or SQL Server 2011) products and features that are installed on the local server. SQL Server Discovery Report tool can be executed from the Tools tab of the setup wizard as seen below.

SQL Server features discovery report

SQL Server Discovery Report

The delivery report is also saved under SQL Server file folders. Here is where this report is save on my local computer.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20110714_182207\SqlDiscoveryReport.htm