Silent mode or unattended installation of SQL Express

SQL Server 2005/2008 express edition install in silent mode.
SQL Server 2005/2008 express edition unattended installation.
SQL Server gives you an option to install the instance in a silent mode. All you have to do is to enter the specifications in a configuration file and install it. You will not be prompted to enter any values. This makes installing SQL Server a repeatable process and you can ensure that every time the specs are the same.

You need to be careful with saving the username/password for the service accounts in the config file. Make sure that you save the file in a secure location.

Steps to install SQL Server 2005 Express 32 bit in silent mode

1)      Download the file SQLServer2005_SSMSEE.msi to install the SQL Server Management studio and save it to a directory called ‘C:\SQLInstall\SSMS’

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=8961

2)      Then download the SQLEXPR32.exe file from Microsoft and save it to a directory called ‘C:\SQLInstall’

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=184

3)      Extract the install files for SQL Server Express using the following command and save it to ‘C:\SQLInstall\SQLExpress’

C:\SQLInstall\SQLEXPR32.exe /x

4)      Then save the following lines to a file called ‘C:\SQLInstall\SQLExpress_Install.ini’

[OPTIONS]

USERNAME=yourname

COMPANYNAME=yourcompanyname

ADDLOCAL=ALL

SQLACCOUNT="NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM"

AGTACCOUNT="NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM"

SQLBROWSERACCOUNT= "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM"

SQLBROWSERAUTOSTART=1

SQLAUTOSTART=1

AGTAUTOSTART=1

SECURITYMODE=SQL

SAPWD=yourpassword

5)      Then run the following commands to install SQL Server 2005 Express edition.

C:\SQLInstall\SQLExpress\start /wait setup.exe /settings C:\SQLInstall\ SQLExpress_Install.ini /qn

6)      Then run the following command to install Management Studio.

cd C:\SQLInstall

msiexec.exe /i “SQLServer2005_SSMSEE.msi” /qb /log C:\SQLInstall\SSMS.log