Detect installed MSDE version

23 Jul 2005 6:38 PM

Etienne

I'm building a setup program that needs to install an instance of SQL Server
if it's not already installed or if it's not up to date. What I need to know
is... how do I know if an instance of SQL Server is installed, and get it's
build version? I can get info about the default instance in the registry at
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion

But what about a named instance? If I install an instance called "ABC",
where are settings stored in the registry?

Thanks in advance,
Etienne

23 Jul 2005 8:13 PM

John Bell

Hi

You may want to cycle around instances in the subkeys of
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\

John

Show quote

"Etienne" <mysteryx93_nosspam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:u$S7IX7jFHA.3144@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> I'm building a setup program that needs to install an instance of SQL
> Server if it's not already installed or if it's not up to date. What I
> need to know is... how do I know if an instance of SQL Server is
> installed, and get it's build version? I can get info about the default
> instance in the registry at
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion
>
> But what about a named instance? If I install an instance called "ABC",
> where are settings stored in the registry?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Etienne
>