I am trying to install SQL 2000/E on a 2 node cluster of Win2000 servers

When doing the installation, I get the following error
The drive chosen for the program files installation path, C:, is not valid on all nodes of the cluster. Choose another drive to install the program files.

I've read the MS support article that says file & print sharing must be installed, and to also check some registry settings. I've done this, and still have the error

I'm logged on to the machine as Administrator, and have full domain & local admin rights
During the installation, I tell SQL to use the Administrator account
I'm just trying to install the program files to the C: drive of each machine, both certainly have a C drive
In addition to checking the network properties to see if file & print sharing were working, I've opened a connection from Node A to node B by opening \\nodeB\C$ and made sure I can create directories, delete them, and such
I am putting the data files on a drive that is part of the same cluster group as the quorum disk, and I get the warning message about that, but this is the program files that it's complaining about

I've seen some other posts about this issue, but never a solution (other than the file & print sharing

Thanks for any ideas
Matt

Comments and questions inline.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"mdh333" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

files.
still have the error.
acount both must be Domain accounts that have Local administrator rights on
all cluster nodes.
Yes, this eror is most likely because the install could not access the drive
correctly.
opening \\nodeB\C$ and made sure I can create directories, delete them, and
such.
Good.
is the program files that it's complaining about.
Ok, but you should put data on something beides the quorum drive. That is a
very bad practice.
Make sure you have logged in to both nodes with the install account and the
SQL service account.

Are the install files on a network share? I have seen problems with that.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"mdh333" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

No, the install files are on an MSDN CD

Anything in the c:\windows\sqlstp.log file (c:\winnt\sqlstp.log if you are
on Windosw 2000)?

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"mdh333" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Nothing that looks useful to me, or like an error message (other than the one that's displayed on the screen

....
10:20:21 ShowDialogsGetDialog returned: nCurrent=0x100000,index=2
10:20:21 Begin Action ShowDialogsHlpr: 0x10000
10:20:21 Begin Action: DialogShowSdSetupTyp
10:20:21 Begin Action: Setup Typ
10:20:28 The drive chosen for the program files installation path, C:, is not valid on all the nodes of the cluster. Choose another drive to install the program files
10:20:31 Action Exit Handler
10:20:32 StatsGenerate returned:
10:20:32 StatsGenerate (0x0,0x1,0xf00000,0x400,1033,303,0x0,0x10000008,0, 0,
10:20:32 StatsGenerate -1,Administrator

I hate to say this, but you might want to uninstall the cluster and recreate
it from scratch. I don't see anything else obvious.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"mdh333" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

the program files.

Just tried something that I don't really want to do, and it got me past this error. I'm hoping it can help with someone figuring out what my issue really is

Both of my servers also have a local P: drive that is used for the paging file. I decided I'd try to install the SQL binaries to this drive and see if that would work

It did!

Of course, I don't really want SQL running off the same drive as my Windows paging files, but what's different about the P: drive and the C: drive?

Any thoughts and thanks for all your help so far
Mat

Well, I have no idea what this issue was, but to get around it you can

Install SQL Server locally to one of the nodes of the cluster
Be sure to put the data files on a drive that is part of the cluster
Then upgrade the local instance to a clustered instance

All worked for me, using that strange process