SQL Server 2005 SP1 won't work with Vista

It’s no secret that a number of applications, including several of Microsoft’s own, are not going to work properly with Windows Vista when the product ships.

A new one to add to the app-compat alert list: SQL Server 2005 Service Pack (SP1), which Microsoft made available for download in April 2006.

(The older SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 7.0 releases won’t be supported for Vista or Longhorn Server, either.)

Microsoft has begun advising customers that they will need SQL Server 2005 SP2 in order to maintain Vista and Longhorn Server compatibility. SQL Server 2005 SP2 is not yet out. In fact, it’s not even available in alpha or beta form yet. According to a blog post on October 30 from Microsoft consultant Benjamin Jones, the first Community Technology Preview (CTP) build of SP2 is due out sometime soon.

Earlier this summer, Microsoft officials warned customers and partners that MSDE – the free, lightweight version of Microsoft’s SQL Server engine -- would not work on Vista.

Microsoft officials acknowledged last month that Visual Studio 2005 SP1 would not work from the get-go with Vista. Visual Studio 2005 SP1 is expected to ship by late 2006/early 2007. The beta program for the service pack ended on October 30.

By the way, speaking of SQL Server, Microsoft has decided to rename again the mobile version of its SQL Server database (that also works on desktop systems, by the way). The product formerly known as SQL Server Everywhere is now known as SQL Server Compact Edition. If that sounds familiar, it should; Microsoft has decided to revert to the original name of the product.