Installing SOAPware 4.x on Windows Vista

The information in this article applies to:  SOAPware 4.x

SITUATION #1

MSDE (the sever software included with SOAPware 4.X) will install on Vista, however, it will not operate as it did with previous Windows Operating Systems.  With this being said, Vista will not work as a SOAPware 4.X Server, unless other server software is used, such as SQL 2005.  As stated in the SQL Server 2000 (including MSDE) FAQ article listed below

"SQL Server 2000 (including MSDE) is an aging product nearing the end of its support lifecycle Microsoft decided that its customers would be best served by focusing its resources to test and validate SQL Server 2005 on the new Windows Vista/”Longhorn” platform and provide a clear upgrade path for our SQL Server 2000 (including MSDE) customers to the new SQL Server 2005 platform, rather than invest on making very significant changes to SQL Server 2000 editions to run on Vista."

Click here to read the entire SQL Server 2000 (including MSDE) on Windows Vista FAQ

SQL Server 2005 Express (free version of SQL Server 2005) will work with SOAPware 4.X and the Data Manager, however it still has the same limitations of MSDE and one major limitation which we don't find acceptible. 

MSDE comes with a installed service called "SQL Server Agent" which manages and allows scheduled backups to be made & setup.  SQL Server 2005 Express does not come with "SQL Server Agent" therefore no scheduled backups can be created thus can not be performed.  With NO ability to create scheduled backups, we don't recommend the use of SQL Server 2005 Express.  All new computers are being shipped with Windows Vista, so the ability to run SOAPware on it is desired, so just be aware that you CAN NOT create a scheduled backup in SQL Server 2005 Express.

Click here to get SQL Server 2005 Express SP2

Click here to get SQL Serer Management Studio Express

SITUATION #2

There is a setting in Windows Vista, that will not allow the install to download .Net Framework from Microsoft so that SOAPware can run.  At this time, the setting is unknown but you can download & install .Net Framework manually.  After the manual install of .Net Framework, you can try installing SOAPware again & there should be no issues.

Click here to get .Net Framework 1.1

Click here to get .Net Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1