I would like to include SQL Server 2008 R2 Express with our software's installer, to be installed silently via command-line commands. We have formerly done this with SQL Server 2005, and I am working on upgrading this to use 2008 instead.
According to the product page, .NET 3.5 is required:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506(SQL.105).aspx
But .NET 3.5 does not mention Windows 7. We would like to support the following OSes:
Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, Server 2008 (both 32-bit and 64-bit for all of these)
Can I install .NET 4.0 on all of these, and will this work for SQL Server 2008 r2? Or should I stick with .NET 3.5? Or (least ideal) use .NET 3.5 on some OSes, and .NET 4.0 on others?
Second question: do I even need to do anything to install .NET prior to running the SQL Server 2008 installer, or will the SQL Server install handle installing .NET itself? Can I rely on this to happen, even when installing it via the command line? Or is it best to install .NET myself prior to running the SQL Server installer?
Edit: Or, do I even need to install .NET prior to running the SQL Server 2008 installer? Will it install this for me if necessary? (Even if I'm running it from the command line?)
-Vern