4

I have a local installation of Microsoft SQL Server Express 2019 and just hit the following error:

Full-Text Search is not installed, or a full-text component cannot be loaded.

So, my understanding is the SQL Server Express supports full-text search, but I need to add components.

According to one article I found, there is a New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation option in SQL Server Express 2016. But I don't have this option in SQL Server Installation Center.

Can anyone tell me how to add full-text support to my installation?

UPDATE:

It appears that, while SQL Server Express 2019 does not support full-text search, SQL Server Express 2019 with Advanced Services does. So I guess my question is: how do I install Advanced Services?

Improve this question
2
  • 1
    Sorry, Jonathan - you're absolutely right - Express with Adv. Services should support full-text search just fine...
    – marc_s
    Commented Sep 6, 2020 at 16:42
  • Unless you are using this for production purposes, then the Developer Edition is also free and fully featured.
    – Sander
    Commented Sep 6, 2020 at 16:59

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

Use this official download of the Microsoft SQL Server Express web installer. Select "Download Media" and pick the install medium that is right for you.

Download page Download page

Web installer after picking "Download Media" Web installer

Improve this answer
5
  • Ok, cool. But do I need to reinstall everything? Looks like the option to add advanced services in 2016 may have been removed?
    – Jonathan Wood
    Commented Sep 6, 2020 at 17:02
  • 1
    The web installer has a "Custom Installation" option that might detect your previous installation (cannot validate on my system). My first attempt would be to download the selected medium (796 MB) and run that one. I would expect that installer to detect your current installation and offer options to add features.
    – Sander
    Commented Sep 6, 2020 at 17:05
  • Ok thanks. On further reflection, perhaps I'm better off using the developer edition for this. Guess I need to think this through a little more. Thanks.
    – Jonathan Wood
    Commented Sep 6, 2020 at 17:07
  • 2
    I can confirm that Custom Installation can detect existing installation and add Full-Text and Semantic Extractions for Search to it without need for uninstallation or reconfiguration. Thank you!
    – nrodic
    Commented May 24, 2021 at 9:51
  • 1
    For anyone getting an error that SQLEXPRADV_x64_<LANG>.exe wasn't found, try switching 'Select Language' to English.
    – Kai Hartmann
    Commented Apr 13, 2023 at 11:34

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.