Installing SQL Server 2008 Express Edition

I do not know how many people were resulted with the problem in getting SQl Server 2008 Express Edition (offered freely by Microsoft) installed.  Several times i got problem with the authentication, even though i produced appropriate information. Anyway some how i got it installed. But unlike it's predecessor, the number of steps inorder to get it installed was high. Yet the installion interface was cool. Microsoft has required to get the following components installed beforehand:

1. .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
2. Windows Installer 4.5
3. Windows Powershell 1.0

as of 24th of May 2009...

But I was shown with one more requirement during the installtion, which Microsoft has forgotten to mention in it's updated page for users who have installed Visual Studio 2008. You got to get the Visual Studio 2008 SP1 installed if you are to use the latest version of SQL Server 2008.

How To Determine If Your Computer Is Being Assigned The External IP Address

This is a very interesting information I came across from www.whatismyip.com

For Windows 2000, XP, and 2003

1. Click Start
2. Click Run
3. Type in cmd and hit ok
4. Type ipconfig and hit enter

For Vista
1. Click Start
2. Click All Programs expand the Accessories menu
3. In the Accessories menu, Right Click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator
4. Type ipconfig hit enter

Results
If you see an IP that resembles 192.168.n.n then this is an internal IP address assigned by a router. So your router is getting your external IP address. If the IP displayed in the command prompt window matches the one shown on What Is My IP then your computer is being assigned your external IP.