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CahabaData's avatar
CahabaData
Memorable Member
9 years ago
Solved

SQL Server Express set up

On premise.  Just a Get Data scenario for now.  A commercial business application is platformed on SQL Server Express 2012.    I believe therefore there are .mdf files with the tables.  For initial...
Need Help
  • Phil_Seamark's avatar
    Phil_Seamark
    9 years ago

    SQL Servers wont let just anyone query data.  You will need a username/password that the instance will be happy with.  These will be the credentials you will use for your data gateway.  

     

    The only reason you might need SSMS is so you can log onto the instance as an administrator and create an account for you.

     

    If you already know a username/password for your instance (eg, sa and <password>) then you can use those and there is no need for SSMS (allthough ideally you shouldn't be using sa).

     

    Even if you do download SSMS you'll need to know the password for SA before you can configure your instance.

     

    I take it the DB is installed on a different machine?

Phil_Seamark's avatar
Phil_Seamark
Microsoft Employee
9 years ago

Hi CahabaData

 

Are you thinking of trying to open and read the MDF files directly?  Or query a running instance of SQL Server Express?

  • CahabaData's avatar
    CahabaData
    Memorable Member
    9 years ago

    Because it is the Express edition - I don't think the file size / record count is overly large - - and also in my searching I believe I saw that Power Query is not available to 2012 Express.  So my thinking was to pull in all the data.