Hi Jim,

Did you try to run it from Start menu as Readme suggests?
To run the downloadable version of SQL Server 2000 Books Online (Update), on the Start menu, click Programs, and then click Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Books Online (Update).

>After a HD crash I bought/installed XP-Home and set about re-installing my hardware and software. My last step was to do VFP7 and all of its parts, incluing SP1.
>All of the VFP7 parts included MSDE (the 2000 version, I believe). When I couldn't find the BOL for SQL Server I snooped the web some and came upon a SP2 for SQL Server 2000, one download of which was for the 'desktop' version. I downloaded it and it apparently installed successfully.
>
>When I went looking for BOL I came up dry and SergeyB her provided a download site. I eventually got the thing "installed" but couldn't get "it" to start up. I could view each piece of the information, but not the "book" as a whole. I came across a statement in the README for BOL that stated: "If you install the downloadable version of SQL Server 2000 Books Online on a computer that does not have SQL Server 2000 installed, double-clicking the file Sql80xx.col will not open Books Online.". Well, I got what they say - NOTHING when I d-click on Sql80en.col. It issues some warning, then I get to click 'use IE' and then IE starts up and the page is blank!@#$@!#
>So I can only conclude that "SQL Server 2000" and MSDE are considered as being different things as far as BOL startability is concerned.
>
>Hardly tested... I seem to have found that d-clicking on "startsql.chm" in the books install dir. brings me close.
>
>Does it make sense that BOL would deliberately be made unavailable for MSDE-only installs? Doesn't to me.
>
>Just FYI really.