Vista and SQL Express

[Todd C]

Hello all:
I am helping someone install SQL Express to manage some small databases.
They have been able to D/L and install SQL Express on two machines without
much issue. However, the third machine is Vista and after installing (with
the same user account) he cannot use SSMS Express to create a new database.
The error says that access is denied in Db Master.

Since he is remote, I have a hard time talking him through issues sometimes,
but now, with no expreience with Vista, I have no idea what to do.

Why would a *fresh* install of SQL Express (w/Sp2) not allow a new database?
I have heard that Vista is a pain with file security and other issues.

How do I get around this?

Thanks for your help.

[Andrea Montanari]

hi,

Post by Todd C
I am helping someone install SQL Express to manage some small
databases. They have been able to D/L and install SQL Express on two
machines without much issue. However, the third machine is Vista and
after installing (with the same user account) he cannot use SSMS
Express to create a new database. The error says that access is
denied in Db Master.
Since he is remote, I have a hard time talking him through issues
sometimes, but now, with no expreience with Vista, I have no idea
what to do.
Why would a *fresh* install of SQL Express (w/Sp2) not allow a new
database? I have heard that Vista is a pain with file security and
other issues.
How do I get around this?
Thanks for your help.

you are probably experiencing permissions and UAC problems... typical
interactive users are not granted permissions to create databases.. on
"older" operating systems (Win2k, XP, Win2003) this is usually not a
problem, as local administrators (the typical account used to install a
service sw) are implicitely added to the SQL Server instance's sysadmin
server role.. being member of that role grants administrative permissions on
the referenced instance.. on Vista, depending on the security changes in the
uderlying operating system, this changes "a little"..
a first time configuration workaround is presented in the setup wizard
dialog, in the Configuration Options step, where you can specify to add
users to the sysadmin SQL Server server role as, by default, "... users on
Microsoft Vista operating system are not members of the SQL Server
Administrator role. ..."

when finished the setup, you can eventually access the Surface Area
Configuration applet, where you can elect to "Add new administrators" where
you are again prompted with the security changes in the Vista os, stating
"... Vista users that are members of the Windows Administrators (OS) group
are not automatically granted permissions to connect to SQL Server, and
they are not automatically granted administrative rights. ..." .. here you
can add to the sysadmin SQL Server role the Windows Account you are
interested with..

anyway, as already indicated, traditional interactive users should not be
granted this high level permissions set.. they should stick with a more
limited stack of permissions, to query objects or execute stored procedure
only..