A main difference of SQL Express compared to the other (non free) editions is the lack of the SQL Server Agent providing professional

job scheduling and other goodies. Example for making backup and keeping track in history records, all from within one single package.

When upgrading MSDE to SQL Express all this nice stuff is gone.

There is not easy alternative to this. There are ways to use the

Windows scheduler but ... the development, maintenance, tracing is completely different. Developers will find a new challenge to

package all this 🙂 but in the end End users and Customers

(no system administrators) will not be happy at all.

You should never remove functionality from a product that

is already established well in the field. The result will be that

MSDE 2000 will still be used for several years, even for new customers.

I see no reason why you increase the 'freeware' limit from 2GB

to 4GB. If you need more than 2GB disk, you simply buy the

non-free versions, and the customer understands.

regards