How to install SQL Server 2005 Express in Windows 8

Question

I tried to install SQL Server 2005 Express SP3 x64 on Windows 8 but the installer gives me an error:

An installation package for the product Microsoft

Answer 1

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Service Pack 4 on Windows Server 2012 R2

Those steps are based on previous howto from https://stackoverflow.com/users/2385/eduardo-molteni

1. download SQLEXPR.EXE
2. run SQLEXPR.EXE
3. copy c:\generated_installation_dir to inst.bak
4. quit install
5. run inst.bak/setuip/sqlncli_x64.msi
6. run SQLEXPR.EXE
7. enjoy!

This works with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Service Pack 4 http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=184