Any other SQL or MS Access / OleDb databases available?

[BobLewiston]

I'm working through the lessons at Programmer’s Heaven's "C# School" tutorial (http://www.programmersheaven.com/2/Les_CSharp_0), and I'm currently on lesson 13, "Data Access in .Net using ADO.Net", so of course I've been trying to connect to Programmer’s Heaven's SQL and MS Access / OleDb databases. Unfortunately, they're now offline. Can anyone please tell me; are there other such databases available for those learning ADO to practice connecting to?

[Old Pedant]

Not sure what you mean by "offline". If it's an Access DB, it *must* be offline. You'd need to DOWNLOAD the ".mdb" file to your local machine and then use it there.

Anyway, Microsoft has the so-called "Northwind" databases available in both SQL Server and Access. Search for them via MS downloads or at http://msdn.microsoft.com

[BobLewiston]

Old Pedant:

Sorry, the tutorial I'm using didn't make clear that the .mdb file had to be downloaded to my local machine.

I found a webpage http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=e719ecf7-9f46-4312-af89-6ad8702e4e6e&displaylang=en, which has a link to Microsoft SQL Server Community & Samples - Home at http://www.codeplex.com/SqlServerSamples. Here there are links for various product samples. As far as I know as a newbie, I just want to download a sample database or two and nothing else, right?

On this webpage, the only reference to Northwind is under Sample Databases, but there are no releases yet available. I could download Microsoft Sample Databases, though - should I do that?

Or should I click the link for "Download the AdventureWorks family of sample databases" (which takes me to a webpage whose URL for some reason can't be made to display in Preview Post)? On that webpage there are 3 links for what is apparently all the same download (SQL2008.AdventureWorks_All_Databases.ia64.msi) and 1 link for SQL2008.AdventureWorks_All_Databases.zip. (Incidentally, all 4 links are for applications. <-- ?) Which (if any of these) should I download?

[Old Pedant]

I would think the answer is "any of the above." But if you use any DBs that are *NOT* named ".mdb", you will have to then also download an appropriate SQL Server version. I would assume you could use SQL Server 2008 Express, but you'd need to check the docs.

The Northwind sample DBs are ancient. Been around since at least Windows98 time frame. The Adventureworks DBs are newer. I think since the 2005 time frame.

**********

Ahhh...I found the Northwind.mdb ... 1999, in fact. So I was close;

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=c6661372-8dbe-422b-8676-c632d66c529c

[Old Pedant]

So *DO* you have SQL Server in any flavor installed on your machine yet? If not, I'd stick with Access and the ".mdb" file for the moment. It takes most people at least two installations to get the SQL Server install done right. And of course the downloads are *HUGE* in comparison.