Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express "No local servers of type 'Database Engine' were found"

I just installed MS SQL Server 2012 Express on my Win7 Pro laptop for learning purposes. The 1st time I tried to "connect to server" I kept getting errors.  Following some tutorials, I clicked cancel & went to View>Registered Servers>Local Server Groups>Tasks>Register Local Servers & got the error "No local servers of type 'Database Engine' were found"

Following another tutorial I opened SQL Server Configuration Manager (Run As Administrator) & went to SQL Server Services & it said "There are no items to show in this view".  Under SQL Server Network Configuration it also said "There are no items to show in this view". 

I guess all that means there is no local sql server running on my pc at all - but why?>
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