How to install SQL Server 2019 on Windows

SQL Server 2019 , Microsoft's industry-leading database management platform, was released on November 4, 2019. SQL Server 2019 offers numerous enhancements to its core database engine and integrates with several Big Data platforms such as Apache Spark, Data Lake, Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS), machine learning, and more. This release is considered a leap forward in database integration with other exciting features and technologies.

How to install SQL Server 2019

You can install SQL Server 2019 on Windows, Linux, or Docker containers, and in this article, TipsMake will guide you through the detailed steps of installing SQL Server 2019 on Windows.

SQL Server 2019 Installation Guide

Step 1: Download Microsoft SQL Server 2019 here to install it.

- SQL Server 2019 Developer : A free, full-featured version licensed for use as a development and testing database in non-production environments.
- SQL Server 2019 Express: A free version of SQL Server, ideal for development and production for small applications. It has a size limit of 10 GB.

Step 2: After the download is complete, click to open the file named SQL2019-SSEI-Dev.exe or SQL2019-SSEI-Expr.exe (depending on the version you choose) and you will see 3 options to install SQL 2019 as shown below.

- The Basic option is the fastest. It installs the default configuration of the SQL Server Database Engine. - The Custom
option lets you specify the installation location. You can also choose which features are installed. - The Download Media option lets you download the setup file for offline installation. You can choose which version of the SQL Server Engine you want to download.

In this guide, TipsMake will select the Custom option.

Step 3: Specify the installation location and click the Install button to begin downloading the setup files.

Step 4: Next, we will proceed with installing SQL Server 2019.

- After the installation package download is complete, the wizard will open the SQL Server Installation Center window . This window provides a range of different tools used to install and manage your SQL server.
- First, click on the option " New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation" to begin the installation process.

- The next screen provides an overview of the SQL Express Server license terms. Check the box " I accept the license terms and Privacy Statement" and click Next to continue.

Next, check the box next to " Use Microsoft Update to check for updates (recommended)" to track updates from Microsoft. Then, click Next to continue.

- On the Install Rules screen , you can identify potential installation issues. Any entries showing " Failed " must be resolved before you proceed with the installation. If no entries fail, click Next.

- In the Feature Selection screen , select the SQL Server 2019 elements to install and specify the installation folders in the Features section . Click Next to continue.

- In the Instance Configuration screen , choose either Default Instance or Named Instance as the name . For this guide, TipsMake uses the Named instance option and keeps the suggested names by default. Press Next to continue.

- Next, on the Java Install Configuration screen , install Java with your current installation or provide a path to a version you have already installed on your computer. Click Next to continue.

- In the Server Configuration screen , you get the default values ​​for Service Accounts and Collation. Then, click Next.
- In the Database Engine Configuration screen , you specify the authentication mode for your SQL server. In this guide, TipsMake chooses Mix Mode. You enter the password and any other settings you want to configure, add the current user as an administrator by clicking the Add Current Use button. Click Next to continue.

- The next two screens ask you to agree to install Microsoft R Open and Python, respectively. Click Accept and Next to continue.

- After the installation is complete, a new screen will display an overview of the installed features. Click Close to finish the SQL Server 2019 installation process.

Step 5: Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Step 6: Test your connection to SQL Server 2019 Express Edition in two ways: using SQL Server Management Studio or Command Prompt.

* Using SQL Server Management Studio:

- Access SQL Server Management Studio (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms?view=sql-server-ver15), scroll down to the Download SSMS section and click on the provided link.

- Open the downloaded installation file and click Install to begin the setup.

- After you have finished setting it up, click Close to exit.

- Run SQL Server Management Studio.
- In the login window, select the SQL Server Authentication option and use the default login name (sa) and password you set during the SQL Server 2019 setup on the Database Engine Configuration screen.
- Click Connect to attempt to connect to the server.

If the login window closes without any issues and you successfully access the main SQL Server Management Studio window, this means the connection is working properly.

* Use Command Prompt

- Enter the following command into Command Prompt:

sqlcmd -S [computer name]SQLEXPRESS
select @@version
go

Step 7: Finally, restart your computer after completing all the steps.

In summary, this article has shared with you the steps to install SQL Server 2019 Express Edition. After following these instructions, your SQL version will be installed and ready to use.

Additionally, if your computer runs Ubuntu, you can also refer to the instructions on how to install Microsoft SQL Server on Ubuntu here.