Take the 2-minute tour ×

I need to install just the Management studio so that the analysts can do their adhoc queries on various databases. I do not want them to be able to install the entire SQL Server app on their local machines nor do I want to have to do the installs of the tools only. Is there a stand alone installation of the client tools (SSMS) only? I have not been able to find one.

share|improve this question

8 Answers 8

If you just want them to be able to run their own queries and not do any server management stuff, download something like WinSQL instead. Management Studio is probably overkill.


share|improve this answer

You can use SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE) for that functionality. Below is a list of the limitations that exist when using SSMSE vs the "Full" SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) from SQL Server Management Studio Express


SSMSE cannot manage Analysis Services, Integration Services, or Reporting Services.






Help for SSMSE is not installed by the product. If you press F1, MSDN Online help opens. Pressing F1, you are able to access all F1 help topics, but you do not see a table of contents or an index for the SQL Server 2008 documentation. To add SQL Server 2008 documentation to SSMSE, install SQL Server 2008 Books Online from SQL Server Books Online Download Center. After installing, in the Contents pane of the Books Online, you can use the SQL Server Express filter to hide the content that does not apply to SQL Server Express edition.

share|improve this answer

If you have the 2 disk set instead of the DVD or MSDN subscription, just use DISK 2 , it only has the tools

share|improve this answer

You can install SQL Server Management Studio Express from Microsoft Downloads Check the license

share|improve this answer
That is only for Managment Studio Express, not the full version –  Sam Oct 16 '09 at 13:13
Express may be still more than they need. –  James Risto Oct 16 '09 at 14:03

You can download a standalone installer for SQL Management Studio Express, but I believe to install the full version on Management studio you need to use the SQL setup routine, which obviously has all the other options.

You may be able to extract the setup files from the installer to just do the Management Studio install, I'm not sure what dependencies it has.

share|improve this answer

There are apps on Source Forge that let you auto configure SQL Server installations (I dont have the link on this PC but will try to get the link to you later). You may be able to use one of those to 'record' a Tools only install that you could then repeat for each analyst's machine... Not a complete answer but it may save you some time after the first run through?

share|improve this answer

It's on the disks with the server package. When you're doing the install, click to install the tools, and not to install the server itself. I don't know of any other way to get at some of the tools (like the business objects explorer), etc.

share|improve this answer
I don't think he is asking where it is, he wants his analysts to be able to install Management studio, without giving them access to the ability to install other items such as SQL server itself –  Sam Oct 16 '09 at 13:38
Yea, I belatedly realized that, and decided I'd shame myself by leaving my stupidity visible, so as to hopefully READ THE WHOLE question next time. –  Satanicpuppy Oct 16 '09 at 13:52

I feel your pain. There is not a stand-alone installer for SSMS (outside of Express, sigh). Might be overkill (unless you have a lot of analysts), but one option would be to create an unattended install of just the Client Components. We only have a few people that needed SSMS without any server components so I just ran the install for them myself...

I do agree with others, that SSMS Express would be the way to go if you just need to run queries. Some of our analysts manually run jobs on the server, though, so that was out for us.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

