It is a common issue that sometimes we can't figure it out that how to start SQL Server Express after installing. At first, you need to download a Management Tool that Microsoft provide us to manage SQL Server, which is called SQL Server Management Studio.
If you have installed an instance of SQL Server Express Edition, now you can following these steps to start SQL Server travel:
1. Download and install SQL Server Management Studio Express Edition which is free for downloading fromMicrosoft Download Center. If you install SQL Server 2008 Express Edition, then you can download SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Express.
2. Ensure that the SQL Server Services is started. You can start the SQL Server Services via SQL Server Configuration Manager which can be started from Manager from Start -> All Programs -> Microsoft SQL Server 2008 -> Configuration Tools.
3. Open SQL Server Management Studio Express from Start -> All Programs -> Microsoft SQL Server 2008. In the Connect to Server panel, input ComputerName\InstanceName as Server name, choose Windows Authentication Mode. If you install SQL Server Express by default configurations, then theInstanceName is SQLExpress, otherwise, use instance name you defined in the installation.
Additional information: If you forget the instance name you defined in the installation or you may want to find a specify instance name if you installed multi-instances, through following method to find the instance name.
Open SQL Server Configuration Manager from Start -> All Programs -> Microsoft SQL Server 2008 -> Configuration Tools, click SQL Server Services in the SQL Server Configuration Manager, in the right pane, you can find SQL Server (InstanceName). InstanceName is a placeholder which represents the instance name of the SQL Server instance.
