This is where the difficulty lies. Microsoft officially ended for SQL Server 2008 R2 on July 9, 2019.

Once you have secured the , the installation process is fairly standard, though it differs slightly from modern SQL installers.

Released in April 2010, SQL Server 2008 R2 (Release 2) was a significant update to the SQL Server 2008 line. It wasn't just a service pack; it was a full-fledged release that bridged the gap between the 2008 architecture and the modern era of SQL Server 2012.