Recommended Hardware and Software Specifications For Sql Server 2012

Microsoft has come out with a list of specifications needed to install and run SQL Server 2012.

You would need: 

1. More than 3.6 gigabytes of free space on your hard drive.
2. 64-bit:
   Intel Xeon (supported by Intel EM64T), AMD Athlon 64, AMD Opteron, or Intel Pentium IV (supported by EM64T with at least 2.0 GHz)
3. 32-bit
   Compatible with Pentium III (at least 2.0 GHz)
4. Recommended RAM: At least 2 gigabytes or whatever is the highest supported.

Software you need to install before installing SQL Server 2012

• .Net Framework 4.0
• Hyper-V (needed for virtualization)
• Windows PowerShell 2.0 (which you could download at http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9745645)

Other tips:

1. Use NTFS file system.
   While SQL Server 2012 works on FAT32 systems, for this application it is not recommended.  You should also avoid compressed or mapped drives.
2. Install the no-reboot package from Microsoft.
   This is typically bundled in with Windows 7 SP1, but you can download the package here: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=198092.