You must install Visual C++ 2008 SP1 before you can install SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Express.

“You must install Visual C++ 2008 SP1 before you can install SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Express.”

What The ???

What does Visual C++ have to do with the installation of SQL Server Management Studio.  This is stupid.

After Googling around i finally found my fix here:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlsetupandupgrade/thread/baf09c3f-be97-4bc8-b6d7-bdeea2e3719e

32-bit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DevDiv\VC\Servicing\9.0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DevDiv\VC\Servicing\9.0\RED\1033

64-bit (in addition to the registry change above)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\DevDiv\VS\Servicing\9.0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\DevDiv\VS\Servicing\9.0\VSR\1033

Change the registry keys referenced above to the following:

Now unless you work for Microsoft or you are a Windows researcher, how do you know what registry key to change?