I have SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008R2, and 2012 installed on my Win 8.1 Professional machine. But only SQL Server Configuration Manager 2005 shows up in All Apps.
We all know that SQL Server Configuration Manager is our best friend to manage the SQL Server services and network configurations. I want them showing up in All Apps, especially the 2012 one as it can manage other lower versions.
Solution:
Option 1 - Use the shortcut to add it to the Start Screen and Task Bar
Step 1 - In Windows 8.1, Enter All Apps, in the SQL Server 2012 group, find the icon for SQL Server Installation Center (64-bit) (or Reporting Services Configuration Manager or SQL Server Error and Usage Reporting), right click it, on the taskbar, click "Open file location", You will see that its shortcut is in the same folder as that for SQL Server Configuration Manager for 2012, along with the other two. In my case, they are at:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft SQL Server 2012\Configuration Tools
(2) Right click the icon for the shortcut of SQL Server Configuration Manager, you will find the options 'Pin to Start' and 'Pin to Taskbar' as below
Option 2 - Do the same thing if you know the actual file for the configuration manager is called SQLServerManager11.msc and located at
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\mmc.exe /32 C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\
You can also create a desktop shortcut for SQL Server Configuration Manager using either the actual file or the shortcut link at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft SQL Server 2012\Configuration Tools.
Issue remaining unresolved
The only issue remaining for me now is that I have no way to put the newly added SQL Server Configuration Manager into the SQL Server 2012 in All Apps although it makes more sense to be there. When view all apps by name, it actually appears in the miscellaneous group as below.
