Hardware and Software Requirements

You should verify that your computer meets the minimum requirements for installing SQL Server 2005. We suggest that your computer meet or exceed the recommended requirements for a more enjoyable experience. Table I.1 details them for the widely used 32-bit machines that 99 percent of us use in a home environment.

TABLE I.1: SQL Server 2005 Editions and Minimum Operating System Version and Editions for 32-Bit Machines
Open table as spreadsheet

Edition	Operating System Versions and Editions
Enterprise 32-bit	Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4 or later; Windows 2003 Server Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter edition with Service Pack 1 or later; Windows Small Business Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later
Standard 32-bit	Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4 or later; Windows 2003 Server Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter edition with Service Pack 1 or later; Windows Small Business Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later
Workgroup	Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later; Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4 or later; Windows 2003 Server Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter edition with Service Pack 1 or later; Windows Small Business Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later; Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4 or later
Developer 32-bit	Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later; Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4 or later; Windows 2003 Server Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter edition with Service Pack 1 or later; Windows Small Business Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later; Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4 or later