SQL Server 2012 Requirements

 

This article describes the Minimum requirement hardware and software requirements to run and successfully install SQL Server 2012.

Below are the requirements for both x86 and x64 editions of MSSQL Server 2012:

    • MSSQL Server 2012must run NTFS file system. But MSSQL Server 2012 will allow upgrades from FAT32 File system.
    • MS SQL Server 2012 CANNOT be installed on read-only, mapped, nor compressed drives.
    • PowerShell 2 is a prerequisite.
    • .NET 3.5 SP1 is a prerequisite for MSSQL Server 2012for Database Engine, Reporting Services, Data Quality Services, Master Data Services, Replication, or SQL Server Management Studio. This must be installed from Server 2008 features or install it manually.
    • The newer .NET 4.0 is a prerequisite for MSSQL Server 2012. The installer will install .NET 4.0 during the setup.  

     

    OS and Software Requirements

    The following requirements apply to all MSSQL Server 2012 installations:

    Software

    Requirement

    Framework
    • .NET Framework 4
    • .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
    • SQL Native Client
    • SQL Setup support files

    Network Related

    Network related software requirements for the x64 versions of MSSQL Server 2012 are the same as the requirements for the x86 versions.Supported OS have builtin network software. Standalone named and default instances support the following network protocols:

    • Shared memory
    • Named Pipes
    • TCP/IP
    • VIA

    Virtualization

    MSSQL Server 2012 is supported in VM environments running on the Hyper-V role in Server 2008 SP2 Standard Enterprise and Datacenter editions, VMWare support is not announced at the moment.

    Here are recommended practices when using VMs:

    • We highly recommend that MSSQL Server 2012 is shut down manually prior to shutting down the VM.
    • Guest failover-clustering is supported in MSSQL Server 2012.

    HardDisk

    Disk space requirements will vary with the MSSQL Server 2012 components you install.

    MediaDrive

    A CD or DVD for physical installation disc. ISO files can also be extracted using Winrar.

    Display

    VGA resolution at least 1,024x768 or higher.

     

     

     

    Hardware Requirements:

    • Supported OS: Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 7 SP1, Server 2008 SP2, and Windows Vista SP2.
    • Processor:
      • Minimum requirement for x64 installations: AMD Opteron, AMD Athlon 64, Intel Xeon with Intel EM64T support, Intel Pentium IV with EM64T support. Processor Speed: 1.4 GHz
      • Minimum requirement for x86 installations: Pentium III compatible or higher. Processor Speed: 1.0 GHz
    • Memory: Minimum requirement: 1 GB

    MSSQL Server 2012 Express

    • Supported OS: Server 2008 R2 SP1, Server 2008 SP2, Windows 7 SP1, and Windows Vista SP2.
    • Processor:
      • Minimum requirement for x64 installations: AMD Opteron, AMD Athlon 64, Intel Xeon with Intel EM64T support, Intel Pentium IV with EM64T support. Processor Speed: 1.4 GHz
      • Minimum requirement for x86 installations: Pentium III compatible or higher. Processor Speed: 1.0 GHz
    • Memory: Minimum requirement: 512 MB

    WOW64 (Windows x86 on Windows x64) is a piece of x64 editions of Windows that enables x86apps to run natively in x86 mode. Apps function in x86 mode, even when the underlying operating system is x64 operating system. WOW64 is supported only for stand-alone instances of SQL Server. WOW64 is not supported for SQL Server failover cluster installations

    For SQL Server x64 edition installations on x64 supported OS, Management Tools are supported in WOW64. For more information about supported OS, select an edition of MSSQL Server 2012 from the sections below.

    On a supported x64 operating system, SQL Server x86 edition installations can be installed to the WOW64 x86 subsystem of ax64 server.

    SQL Server editions that are supported on Server 2008 R2 x64x64 Standard are also supported on Windows Small Business Server x64x64.

    MSSQL Server 2012 is now supported on Windows 2008 R2 SP1 server core operating system. Server core functionality is available on the following Server 2008 R2 editions:

    • Server 2008 R2 SP1 x64x64 Datacenter
    • Server 2008 R2 SP1 x64x64 Enterprise
    • Server 2008 R2 SP1 x64x64 Standard
    • Server 2008 R2 SP1 x64x64 Web