what is the proper install order for visual studio 2012 and SQL Server Management Studio 2012 on win7?

Question

I am preparing to do some web development against a SQL Server 2012 server on a fresh install of win 7 x64 development VM.

What should I install first, visual studio or

Answer 1

No direct dependencies found between the two components, installing Visual Studio first then ensure that .NET Framework installed properly is my approach, then installing SQL Server, but in all cases the SQL Server installation installs the following software components - 2008:

• NET Framework 3.5
• SQL Server Native Client
• SQL Server Setup support files

My approach:

1. Visual Studio 2008.
2. Visual Studio SP1.
3. SQL Server 2008.
4. Run Windows updates.

Useful question here

Answer 2

This is my favorite order:

1. Windows update before installing anything.
2. SQL Server 2012
   • If you have SP1 integrated with you ISO file, skip to step 4.
   • If you have both SP1 and U5 integrated with your ISO file, skip to step 5
   • Unselect SQL Server Data Tools during installation (step 8 will install the VS 2012 templates instead of these old 2010 ones)
3. SQL Server 2012 SP1
4. SQL Server 2012 SP1 U5
5. Visual Studio 2012
   • If you have U3 integrated with you ISO file, skip to step 7.
   • Unselect SQL Server Data Tools during installation because we'll install the updated bits in step 7
6. Visual Studio 2012 U3
7. SQL Server Data Tools - BI (adds BI project templates to Visual Studio 2012)
8. SQL Server Data Tools (allows you to manage SQL Server 2012 from within visual Studio 2012)
9. Windows Update
10. ReSharper
11. StyleCop
12. SQL ToolBelt

Answer 3

I don't know if there is a different way for VMs but on Windows we used to install SQL Server first, as some of the configurations of Visual studio conflict with SQL Server configurations if it was installed before

Answer 4

Neither - you can install them in any order. While you do get the occasional question about it in various different forums, I have done this and never had an issue.

SQL does have a Visual Studio dependency (formerly) called BIDS, but Visual Studio can install over/around this no problem.

Note that this answer is correct when using the initial SQL 2012 release (as that was the latest edition when this question was asked). Subsequent releases may have changed things. I have made this answer CW to encourage others to edit it as necessary to include info about later versions.