XP Pro, SP2, dual monitors.

Install from either SQLEXPR.EXE or SQLEXPR32.EXE, apparently same
results - upon system startup, the PC keeps booting and
re-booting, presenting one of four scenarios in each cycle:

- A momentary blue screen followed by reboot
This happened 1 or two times

- Screen just goes black followed by a reboot
This happened 2-3 times.

- Progress through "Welcome" to XP desktop, then a brief
dialog of some sort followed by reboot.
This happened once.

- Progress through "Welcome" to XP desktop, then an
apparently-endless hourglass.


There were no changes between those scenarios, I just let it loop
and loop, re-booting on it's own.

Is it just me? Or has somebody heard of something similar?

FWIW, I was able to capture one of the blue screens post-Windows
desktop using a home movie camera and freezing a frame
afterwards:
----------------------------------------------------------------
STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}
The Windows Subsystem system process terminated unexpectedly with
a status of 0xc0000005 (0x7c9106c3 0x0052da18).
The system has been shut down.

Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for
further assistance.
----------------------------------------------------------------
--
PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) (x@y.Invalid) writes:
Something is bad with your machine, but it's not SQL Server. I would
recommend that you start in Safe Mode, and disable as many drivers
as you can.

It could also be a hardware problem, for instance bad memory.



--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se

Links for SQL Server Books Online:
SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx
SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx
SQL 2000: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx

Per (PeteCresswell):
Just for grins, I did the same install in an itty-bitty laptop
(Asus 901).

It hosed the laptop too.

But the laptop did not throw a blue screen the couple times I
tried it. Screen went blank during install, left it for a
couple hours and not change - so I pulled the battery to force a
reboot.

Upon reboot I got Windows' desktop and a few seconds of
inactivity, then it threw an error dialog (same one as the other
machine?). But in this case, the laptop's processor was so slow
that I had time to read the dialog (actually, I got to read it
four times on successive attempts...).

Seems tb something like "Validation failed for ....
System32\VSINIT.DLL.."

I was able to start the laptop in Safe mode and then disable the
four or so services whose names began with "SQL". Restarted,
and the machine seems tb working OK.

Does this ring any bells with anybody?

It seems suspicious that two very-different XP machines could
both be hosed (albeit not demonstrably with the same exact
symptoms, although it's possible...) by the exact same install.
--
PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) (x@y.Invalid) writes:
Indeed remarkable. I'm afraid that I don't have a single clue what is
going on. Lots of people have installed SQL Express without such symptoms.
But maybe these machines have something in common, like an unusually
aggressive anti-virus?

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se

Links for SQL Server Books Online:
SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx
SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx
SQL 2000: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx

Per Erland Sommarskog:
Like me.... I installed it on my machine at a client's site, no
problems at all.

I'm doing an end run at the moment: trying to install the 2008
version - whose installer is, IMHO, not done well at all. It
keeps running for 10-15 minutes and then telling me that this or
that product needs tb installed first.... then I install this or
that product, it runs again, and tells me another product needs
tb installed.

Right now, I'm taking that as a hint and downloading SP3 in hopes
that will cover all the bases.

Only reason I was trying 2005 was that was what I had on this
other machine.

Any other reason I shouldn't be trying 2008?

I want SQL Express installed so that I can start working my way
through the MS demo applications for DotNet 2008.
--
PeteCresswell

Per (PeteCresswell):
FWIW, the 2008 install went OK - no problems post-install.

Go figure...
--
PeteCresswell