The first step of setting up The Compleat Botanica is to install the SQL Server Desktop Engine.  To do this, double-click on the CD:/Setup/Setup.exe program.

To start the installation process, just press the button.

When this notice appears, acknowledge it by pressing OK.

The process of copying the files and configuring the software may take several minutes (faster computers will of course take less time.)  Pay no attention to the "Time remaining" indicator as it usually guesses wrongly.

When the SQL Server Desktop Engine is completely installed you will be notified with this message, if applicable:

After restarting your computer, proceed to Installation of The Compleat Botanica software

Caution: Reinstalling the SQL Server Desktop Engine after you�ve already created databases will make the existing databases inaccessible. Be sure to make a backup of all your databases before attempting to reinstall SQL Server Desktop Engine.

Note that the backup function in the Data Manager utility or in The Compleat Botanica Software is the only way to ensure that your existing database will be usable after the reinstallation. Copying the database files using Windows Explorer is inadequate.

For more details see the document More notes on the installation of SQL Server Desktop which describes the "Windows Installer" messages you may see during the installation of SQL Server Desktop Engine.