I wanted to do some testing of SQL Server 2025 on my laptop. I have written before how I avoided installing SQL Server on the laptop and use containers instead. This post looks at adding a new version on the default port.
This page on MSLearn shows how to run the SQL Server 2025 container. I started here, when searching for “SQL Server 2025 container” on Google.
It was nice to see this updated for 2025, and if I scroll down, I can see the docker container to pull. This is the important thing for me to add a new version of SQL Server.
I could go to this URL to see all the tags, since I don’t want just latest. I want to know what version to run: https://mcr.microsoft.com/en-us/artifact/mar/mssql/server/tags
In this case, I want this tag: 2025-CTP2.1-ubuntu-22.04
Installing the New Version
If you read my previous article, I put a folder for each version on my system. In my case, I use c:data. I’ll make a new folder for SQL 2025.
Note: I tried to copy this folder and subfolder and then delete files, but got permission errors on stratup. I made new folders and things worked.
Once in here, I’ll create sub folders for my mappings.
I will then copy over the docker-compose.yml file. In my case, I have all the 2022 stuff. I need to edit things.
Most things are fine here, but I’ll update the name and image. These need to use the 2025 values. Here are my edits.
I save this, and then I copy/paste the two stop/start batch files. I’ve opened these in code and changed 2022 to 2025. I’ll show one file below, but basically I change the CD command in both.
That’s it. If my SQL 2022 container that runs on the default port is stopped, I can double click the start2025.cmd file. Once I do that, I see the image coming down.
As soon as that completes, the container starts. I can connect with SSMS to the local host. Same as my 2022 instance, whose container is stopped.
Once I connect, I see the new, default, instance of SQL Server 2025.
I do have to remember to start/stop containers, but I love having multiple default instances 
