If you have Visual Studio .NET 2003, you can find the CAB files for SQL CE under the following directory on your desktop PC:
\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003\CompactFrameworkSDK\v1.0.5000\Windows CE
Here are two sub directories, wce300 for Win CE3.x devices, and wce400 for Win CE 4.x devices. Under each of these directories is a directory for every type of processor running WinCE. In these are the CAB files containing the installation for SQL Server CE. Once you copy the correct CAB to the device, locate it in File Explorer and run it. This is effectively what VS.NET or a WinCE setup program does for you.
For example, in wce300\arm there are three files:
- sqlce.dev.ppc3.arm.cab contains the developer tools for SQL CE
- sqlce.ppc3.arm.cab contains the SQL CE server
- sql.ppc3.arm.cab contains the SQLClient libraries
1) Select SQLCE Query from the Start Menu:
2) Create a new database with this button:
3) Define a database name and password, and click the "New Database" button
4) Click the Create button.