I currently do not have an sql server 2005 instance to attach the database files for Chapter 12, and I'm sysindexes table error messages when attempting to attach either the 'Chapter12DB1.mdf' OR 'Chapter12DB2.mdf' databases to my sql 2000 instance.

Are both of these .mdf files for sql 2005? If so, is there an sql 2000 alternative?

(Note that I cannot install sqlserver express 2005 on my machine)

Hi Studen77,
Yes, both of these .mdf files are for SQL Server 2005. As the What You Need to Use This Book section of the book clearly states, you need to use either the full version of SQL Server 2005 or the SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, which is available as a free download from http://msdn.microsoft.com/sql/express/.

Cheers!
Shahram

-----------------------
Shahram Khosravi, Ph.D.
Author of Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Server Control and Component Development

It has been some time since you wrote this but incase you need an easier solution to opening the MDF files using a more advanced version of VS. All you need to do is delete the data connection to the db in the server Explorer and then click on Connect Database. Locate the MDF file and when a pop-up appears asking you if you want to update it just click Yes and you will now be connected.

The only additional change that you will have to make is if you are trying to connect to the aspnetdb.mdf file. in the web.config it uses ".\Express" for the source. unless you are using SQL Express this will have to be changed to the server you are using. In the case of VS2013 (with no SQL engine installed) it would read, "(LocalDB)\v11.0".

Mark