Thanks for letting me know. 🙂

Many thanks for all the advice. I might just buy and do a clean install of SQL Server 2014 Developer edition. I guess it works on Windows 7 64 bit...

This is an old post!

Just FYI, I found the video series on T-SQL here excellent:

Many thanks for the detailed feedback. I will find some time for testing and get back to the forum again once I have had a chance to go through things...

Thanks a lot for all that information. There's so much more to think about than I originally thought of as well as AWS as an option.

On the Microsoft side, if...

That's one idea.

Doesn't SQL Server 2012 have an evaluation edition where I could at least test a potential cloud based SQL Server back end Visual Studio front end?

Microsoft are just making it difficult for us. It should be try first, pay later.

Basically I'd like to test a cloud based database but don't want to have to hand over my credit card details in order to be able to do so.

I resolved the installation problems in the following way:

•Windows 7 HP SP1 clean install.

•Get all updates from Windows update.

•Start install of SQL Server 2008 R2 Developer (in my case from...

Thanks. I will take a look at his books on Amazon. I have heard his name being mentioned before positively, so that must be a good sign.

Thanks. I will make more use of this site as a resource for SQL Server!

Many thanks for your reply. I am glad I am not alone in struggling to find good books and training resources. IT training is generally expensive and I don't have...

I personally decided against Microsoft exams because as well as beginning to learn T-SQL and SQL Server, I also wanted to learn programming languages and widen my experience in applications...

You are right about the honesty bit but there is always a fine line between promoting oneself for the employment market in order to get an interview and going over...

I came to SQL Server from using Access so this is why I am asking these questions... At the same time, algorithms in website search engines are mainly working with...