>>I'm reposting this as I can't see that it made it into the forum. If it's a double-post, sorry, maybe a UT person can delete one of them...
>>
>>What do I really need to download from here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download/ to be able to use with VB, or others from here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/downloads/default.aspx and here: http://www.asp.net/webmatrix/download.aspx?tabindex=4 to get the best environment that would most close match what I would find at a company using VB.NET and ASP.NET? I don't really want to install more than I need, but I do want to get a typical setup. I also found samples here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb/starterkit/default.aspx but not sure if they will help much. Would like to get a development environment setup with a fairly robust application that I can play with. My thought is that I would likely be coming into a position with the requirement to work on problems or add functionality to an existing application, not creating new little sample apps that track the books I own or something else like that. If that didn't make sense, then just ask
>>and I'll try to clarify.
>>
>>Thanks!
>
>Jay,
>I would get all but you say something like minimum.
>From first you would get 2 downloads in left top window ("Install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition","SQL Server Management Studio Express") and probably the sample databases "SQL Server 2005 Samples". W/o Management studio it's hard IMHO so get it, as well as samples.
>
>Web matrix is outdated I think. Instead get Visual Web developer and VB express from second.
>
>These are the basic sets I think. As you move on you could decide what to get next (for ASP MS Expression web would be good but I don't know if it has a free version).

What do I need out of the samples below? I did this once before and nothing seemed to work right, but maybe I was mixing and matching the wrong things.

Instructions
The samples and sample databases are provided for three different processor types. Download the files most appropriate for you. The overview documentation .htm file is for all processor types.

Step 1: Before installing any of the AdventureWorks sample databases, completely remove previous installations of the corresponding database. To remove the previous installations, follow the instructions in the updated SQLServerDatabasesAndSamplesOverview.htm file below.

Step 2: Click the file you want to download from the list below. To install the samples, select SqlServerSamples.msi. To install the sample databases, select AdventureWorksDB.msi for the OLTP database and AdventureWorksBI.msi for the Analysis Services database and data warehouse.


x86 
SqlServerSamples.msi -- 25,469 KB 
AdventureWorksDB.msi -- 28,053 KB (case-sensitive collation) 
AdventureWorksDBCI.msi -- 29,177 KB (case-insensitive collation) 
AdventureWorksBI.msi -- 7,393 KB (case-sensitive collation) 
AdventureWorksBICI.msi -- 16,764 KB (case-insensitive collation) 
AdventureWorksLT.msi -- 2,251 KB