Manual database installation

The MSSQL Server Express 2005 installer packaged with the toolset is one of the more common sources of installation failure. If other troubleshooting techniques fail, you may wish to install it manually as a separate step from toolset installation. This could also allow you to substitute different versions of the SQL server (note that BioWare has only specifically tested the toolset with the 2005 Express version).

Installing SQL Express 2005

First, download the SQL Express 2005 installer. You can find it here:

<insert URL here>

Run SQLEXPR32.exe and accept all of the default options that it presents to you throughout the install process. You may wish to give your SQL server a name other than default during this step (the toolset installer uses the name "BWDATOOLSET" by default).

Installing SQL Server Management Studio Express

The bare install of SQL Express 2005 relies on the command line for most of its configuration and management. To provide a more powerful and user-friendly GUI, Microsoft has supplied the free application SQL Server Management Studio Express. Download it here:

<insert URL here>

Install the management studio, again picking the default options presented through the install process.

Creating bw_dragonage_content

Once you've got Management Studio installed, create a new database instance named bw_dragonage_content.

<screenshot here>

Next you'll need to restore the .bak file that comes with your toolset in order to load the data from it into your database. This file can be found here:

<file path here>

To restore a database backup using Management Studio Express:

<screenshots here>