Symptoms
When you connect to a 64-bit instance of Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008 by using Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1), you may receive the following error message:
Connections to SQL Server files (*.mdf) require SQL Server Express 2005 to function properly. Please verify the installation of the component of download from the URL:
Note This problem does not occur when you connect to a 32-bit instance of SQL Server Express 2008 from a 64-bit computer.
Cause
This problem occurs because Visual Studio 2008 SP1 incorrectly detects some registry keys for a 64-bit installation of SQL Server Express 2008.
Resolution
Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, it is intended to correct only the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.
To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Customer Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=supportNote In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
Prerequisites
You must have Visual Studio 2008 SP1 or Visual Studio 2008 Express Edition with Service Pack 1 installed to apply this hotfix.
Restart requirement
You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.
Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.
File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.
|
File name |
File version |
File size |
Date |
Time |
Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Microsoft.visualstudio.editors.dll |
9.0.30729.186 |
2,879 ,488 |
23-Nov- 2008 |
21:50 |
x86 |
|
Microsoft.vsdesigner.dll |
9.0.30729.186 |
4,419,584 |
23-Nov- 2008 |
21:50 |
x86 |
Workaround
To work around this problem, uninstall the 64-bit version of SQL Server Express 2008, and then install the 32-bit version of SQL Server Express 2008.
Status
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
More Information
For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
