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I though SQL Server 2012 Express Edition was "Released for Production", however when I download it, it still states "RC".

Maybe I don't understand "RC" fully, but I though that was just before the production release?

Mark Henderson
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TreK
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  • Not sure why this question was down rated? I have done my research and couldn't find the answer. That is why I am asking it here in hopes that a more informed person might have an answer that I couldn't find. If you are going to down rate, at least provide feedback so I can improve my question. – TreK May 02 '12 at 02:49
  • I think the status your are looking for is RTW released to web. Didn't really look though. – tony roth May 02 '12 at 03:06
  • Thanks for the comment tony, I'm not familiar with all the acronyms. – TreK May 02 '12 at 03:12
  • I believe that Tony meant RTM, not RTW. – Darin Strait May 02 '12 at 12:32
  • rtw is "released to web" and thats the primary way of getting sql express. – tony roth May 02 '12 at 15:00

1 Answers1

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You are looking for the "Released To Manufacturing" (a/k/a "RTM") version of "Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express". Microsoft refers to most initial versions of it's products as "RTM". After the initial released, patches are usually referred to as a "Service Pack" ("SP"). When new Service Packs become available there be a download to obtain the patch (in order to update your existing systems) and a pre-patched download (for fresh installations).

Generally speaking, you should either be running the latest SP. If there are no SP versions, then run the RTM. Often, Microsoft support will not help you unless you are running the latest SP.

In the SQL Server world, there is an additional type of patch referred to as a "Cumulative Update". Since CU patches come out much more frequently, as a rule of thumb, you should apply CU only if it addresses a bug that you are actually seeing. Otherwise, you can spend your life doing nothing but patching systems.

TL;DR:

If you google this:

sql server 2012 express edition rtm download

You get this as the top result:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29062

Darin Strait
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