How to save money by unnecessary ACT! upgrade!
Here is the procedure I used to install ACT! 2009 on Windows 7 32bit.

Here is exactly what I did. DO NOT RUN ACT! UNTIL THE INSTRUCTIONS SAY TO.
1. I browesed Windows Explorer to the ACT! install CD.
2. I ran the Setup.exe as Administrator (Right click on the exe file click on “Run as Administrator”
3. When promted to allow access I accepted
4. I clicked the install ACT! link
5. I installed all the recommended settings – You can modify them later.
6. You will be notified that the version of SQL that you will be installing is has known compatability issues with Windows7 -
Don’t worry – you will fix this later. Go Ahead and install. Pay attention to Microsofts warning about installing updates prior
to running SQL 2005.
7. Continue with all recommended settings until finished.
8. On the finished window, you will see several check boxes. One is to run ACT!. Toggle the check mark off so ACT! does not
run and launch SQL.
9. Now everthing from the CD is installed, but you need to update SQL.
10. You will need to first upgrade to SQL SP2 – I did this by going to the Windows Update link and checking for new updates
START>ALL PROGRAMS>WINDOWS UPDATE. Click the “Check for Updates” link on the left a few times until you see
the SP2 update appear for SQL.
11. Install the update.
12. DO NOT RUN ACT! YET!!
13. After SQL SP2 was Installed, I Downloaded and Install SQL 2005 Express from Microsoft. Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Express Edition Service Pack 3
14. Once the download completed I run the file I downloaded as administrator.
15. I used the recommended settings. If you are an admin working an a network deployment you know what to do.
16. I have a single install, so “Windows Authentication” was my preferred choice – would have also been the case in small
group network – large scale net admins you know what to do here.
17. I click through the rest of the default options, and had a successfull install.
18. I Run ACT!. 2009
19. Opened my database
20. ACT! updated the database
21. Login successful – EXCELLENT!