Do I have to install SQL Express?

I'm using the login/roles from Visual Studio 2005 in a website.

Is MS SQL Express mandatory? I already have MS SQL 2000 on the box. Is there any way to use that instead?

And if so, will I need to install MS SQL on the box I'm building the webiste on?

Thanks,

oilcan

You dont't have to have MS SQL 2005 express on your developer machine.

There is a build-in database schema behind the memebership function in ASP.NET 2.0. By default, if you have MS SQL 2005 express installed, you will get a database named as ASPNETDB.MDF installed under App_data folder in your application when you start using membership.

It would be easy to play with samples and test simple things. However, you need to know how to move this database to another database if you want to host your application somewhere. For example, SQL 2005 or SQL 2000.

You can mannuly install this database by using a tool in this location(most likely): C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\aspnet_regsql.exe

You can pick where you want to install this database from this tool's interface.

After you install this database, you need change your connection string to point to your new database which includes all tables from ASPNETDB.MDF

You may need to read through some articles from searching this topic about membership.

This is just a start and you will get there. If you have problems, you will easily get answers from here.

Enjoy the journey.

|||Any idea where I might find some of those articles you mentioned? I don't feel real comfortable just experimenting, it is a live web server.|||

Hello there:

This article talks about how to merge this ASPNETDB.MDF to your database.

http://aspnet.4guysfromrolla.com/articles/040506-1.aspx

Please follow this article, you will bepretty close. I think you better to test on your developer machine before you move on.

Also I came across this one from DisccountASP forum to show users how to move the starter kits to their server. Just for you as a reference.

http://community.discountasp.net/default.aspx?f=25&m=8785

Let me know if I can help more.

Limno