Today I am pleased to announce that we have released all four of the Visual Studio 2008 Express Editions with Service Pack 1! In addition to fixing a number of issues, SP1 also offers a substantial number of new features including, but not limited to:

• Support for SQL Server 2008 Express
• Web Application Projects and Class Library supportfor Visual Web Developer 2008Express
• JScript Formatting for Visual Web Developer 2008 Express
• Improved WPF Designer for Visual C# 2008 and Visual Basic 2008Express
• ADO.NET Entity Designer and Framework
• Dynamic Data Web Sites for Visual Web Developer 2008Express
• New Powerpack controls (Line, Shape, and Data Repeater) added to Visual Basic 2008Express
• Enhanced Live Errors for the Visual C# Editor give a richer set of errors as you code
• And more!

Note that you will have to install the SP1 version of your Express product for each Express edition you have on your computer. Once you upgrade one Express product, you will have to upgrade all the Express products on yourcomputer for everything to function correctly.

Go download Visual Studio 2008 Express Editions with SP1 today!

Weston Hutchins

Program Manager - Visual Studio Express

ALTERNATE DOWNLOAD METHODOLOGIES?

Question to Weston Hutchins - Program Manager - Visual Studio Express

I feel like Tiny Tim saying "More Please Sir!".

Living in rural Ontario Canada it is a great day/night (usually Sunday) when my download speed exceeds 3.0 Kb/s.

So MSDB Express Library takes 42-45 hours to download - IF THERE IS NO LINE OR SERVER INTERUPTION.

Do you have an alternate download methodology (like Windows updates) that restarts at the break point rather then the complete restart that I have been experiencing? After 5 tries, totally 72 hours, I gave up.

Even though it's a larger download, you can download the Offline Image for Express which doesn't use a bootstrapper to download the files. What this will do is allow you to download a third-party download manager (look on download.com) that can handle start/stops.

I believe that the Online Express installer will cache the download of completed components. However, components that only download partially will not be cached and will have to be restarted.

Be sure to also check out the SP1 FAQ for answers to your quesitons about Visual Studio Express with SP1.

ShallI wait long time until it has loaded?

Visual C# installation FAIL......

here is the installation process (+the error message): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4_L6fmJclw

and the results:
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/743/finalresultsv.png