Dear Setup Experts:

I am trying to reinstall SQL Express after playing with it some.
I uninstalled it, and now, it refuses to reinstall. I have tried
multiple times which makes that final result comment in the log file a
slap in the face.

Any ideas what this log file means and how I can get SQL Express
installed? I really do not want to have to reinstall my whole system.

***** Start of Log File
Overall summary:
Final result: SQL Server installation failed. To
continue, investigate the reason for the failure, correct the problem,
uninstall SQL Server, and then rerun SQL Server Setup.
Exit code (Decimal): -2068643839
Exit facility code: 1203
Exit error code: 1
Exit message: SQL Server installation failed. To
continue, investigate the reason for the failure, correct the problem,
uninstall SQL Server, and then rerun SQL Server Setup.
Start time: 2010-09-13 14:45:24
End time: 2010-09-13 15:04:56
Requested action: Install
Log with failure: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\sql_engine_core_inst _Cpu32_1.log
Exception help link:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkI...r=10.0.1600.22

Machine Properties:
Machine name: LOOP
Machine processor count: 2
OS version: Windows XP
OS service pack: Service Pack 3
OS region: Canada
OS language: English (United States)
OS architecture: x86
Process architecture: 32 Bit
OS clustered: No

Product features discovered:
Product Instance Instance ID Feature
Language Edition Version Clustered

Package properties:
Description: SQL Server Database Services 2008
SQLProductFamilyCode: {628F8F38-600E-493D-9946-F4178F20A8A9}
ProductName: SQL2008
Type: RTM
Version: 10
SPLevel: 0
Installation location:
c:\6fc4afb6d7d97b1a9fa23e3ca5a3dedd\x86\setup\
Installation edition: EXPRESS_ADVANCED

User Input Settings:
ACTION: Install
ADDCURRENTUSERASSQLADMIN: False
AGTSVCACCOUNT: NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
AGTSVCPASSWORD: *****
AGTSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Disabled
ASBACKUPDIR: Backup
ASCOLLATION: Latin1_General_CI_AS
ASCONFIGDIR: Config
ASDATADIR: Data
ASDOMAINGROUP: <empty>
ASLOGDIR: Log
ASPROVIDERMSOLAP: 1
ASSVCACCOUNT: <empty>
ASSVCPASSWORD: *****
ASSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Automatic
ASSYSADMINACCOUNTS: <empty>
ASTEMPDIR: Temp
BROWSERSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Disabled
CONFIGURATIONFILE: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\ConfigurationFile.in i
ENABLERANU: True
ERRORREPORTING: False
FEATURES: SQLENGINE,REPLICATION,FULLTEXT,RS,BIDS,SSMS,SNAC_S DK,OCS
FILESTREAMLEVEL: 0
FILESTREAMSHARENAME: <empty>
FTSVCACCOUNT: NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
FTSVCPASSWORD: *****
HELP: False
INDICATEPROGRESS: False
INSTALLSHAREDDIR: c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\
INSTALLSHAREDWOWDIR: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\
INSTALLSQLDATADIR: <empty>
INSTANCEDIR: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\
INSTANCEID: SQLExpress
INSTANCENAME: SQLEXPRESS
ISSVCACCOUNT: NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService
ISSVCPASSWORD: *****
ISSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Automatic
MEDIASOURCE: c:\6fc4afb6d7d97b1a9fa23e3ca5a3dedd\
NPENABLED: 0
PID: *****
QUIET: False
QUIETSIMPLE: False
RSINSTALLMODE: DefaultNativeMode
RSSVCACCOUNT: NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
RSSVCPASSWORD: *****
RSSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Automatic
SAPWD: *****
SECURITYMODE: SQL
SQLBACKUPDIR: <empty>
SQLCOLLATION: Latin1_General_CI_AS
SQLSVCACCOUNT: NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
SQLSVCPASSWORD: *****
SQLSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Automatic
SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS: LOOP\Gene
SQLTEMPDBDIR: <empty>
SQLTEMPDBLOGDIR: <empty>
SQLUSERDBDIR: <empty>
SQLUSERDBLOGDIR: <empty>
SQMREPORTING: False
TCPENABLED: 0
X86: False

Configuration file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\ConfigurationFile.in i

Detailed results:
Feature: Database Engine Services
Status: Failed: see logs for details
MSI status: Failed: see details below
MSI error code: 0xB8A6B4FA
MSI log file location: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\sql_engine_core_inst _Cpu32_1.log
MSI error description:
Configuration status: Passed

Feature: SQL Client Connectivity SDK
Status: Passed
MSI status: Passed
Configuration status: Passed

Feature: SQL Server Replication
Status: Failed: see logs for details
MSI status: Failed: see details below
MSI error code: 0xB8A6B4FA
MSI log file location: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\sql_engine_core_inst _Cpu32_1.log
MSI error description:
Configuration status: Passed

Feature: Full-Text Search
Status: Failed: see logs for details
MSI status: Failed: see details below
MSI error code: 0xB8A6B4FA
MSI log file location: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\sql_engine_core_inst _Cpu32_1.log
MSI error description:
Configuration status: Passed

Feature: Reporting Services
Status: Failed: see logs for details
MSI status: Failed: see details below
MSI error code: 0xB8A6B4FA
MSI log file location: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\sql_engine_core_inst _Cpu32_1.log
MSI error description:
Configuration status: Passed

Feature: Management Tools - Basic
Status: Passed
MSI status: Passed
Configuration status: Passed

Feature: Business Intelligence Development
Studio
Status: Passed
MSI status: Passed
Configuration status: Passed

Feature: Microsoft Sync Framework
Status: Passed
MSI status: Passed
Configuration status: Passed

Rules with failures:

Global rules:

Scenario specific rules:

Rules report file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\100\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\20100913_144043\SystemConfigurationC heck_Report.htm
***** End of Log File

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Gene Wirchenko (genew (AT) ocis (DOT) net) writes:
The log fil you posted is just the summary, and it tells us that
installation of the Database Engine and Reporting Services failed.
Furthermore it lists the log for the Engine as the log with failure:

So then you just open the log, read from the top to bottom and correct
the error.

No, sorry, that was really a black piece of humour. Those logs are
verbose, and the error is typically near the end - but there are still
hundreds of lines of cleanup after the error message. But you may be
able to find the error - that's certainly an exercise worth doing. And
the penny *may* drop when you see the error message - although I would
not really expect it to.

But if you can locate the part where there error message appears, you
can repost it here. If you can't locate the error, try to put the log
on a web site and post a link; it's too long to be good for a Usenet
post.

So this link actually has some useful information. Except that it refers
to SQL Native Client, and not the engine. So I don't know if this is a
false lead. But if you find this error in the log, maybe it's the real
guy.


--
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

On Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:45:08 +0200, Erland Sommarskog
<esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se> wrote:

I really can do without it, thank you. I have wasted several
hours on this now. I have been searching the Web for solutions and
have found some that have apprently worked for others, but not for me.

Ah, no, it did not.

One problem that I have gotten on other tries is:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Setup
--
The following error has occurred:

The MOF compiler could not connect with the WMI server. This is either
becauses of a semantic error such as an incompatibility with the
existing WMI repository or an actual error such as the failure of the
WMI server to start.

[OK]

One site had a batch file fixmbi.cmd that supposedly helped a lot
of people. It did not. Using it, it alternated (usually) between the
above error and the following error:

SQL Server Setup failure.
--
SQL Server Setup has encountered the following error:

The system cannot find the file specified.


Error code 0x84BB0001.

[OK]

It would have been nice if the file had been specified.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Gene Wirchenko (genew (AT) ocis (DOT) net) writes:
But what did it say in the log?

WMI = Windows Management Instrumentation (I think). There is a service,
which you can find if you right-click My Computer and select Manage
and go to Services. You can try to get this service running and if it
does not start, check the event log for errors.

Again, check the detail log files, or make them available somewhere
if you want someone else to look at them.

--
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

On Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:22:48 +0200, Erland Sommarskog
<esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se> wrote:

Which log? There are several. They tend to be rather long, and
it is not at all obvious which bit is the information that I need or
that it is even in there.

I have checked them. There is nothing that I can figure out for
sure. There is a lot of extraneous detail, and you know this since
you mentioned about it being too much for a post. Does this not tell
you something about the installation procedure being dysfunctional?

I am just learning SQL Server. It is rather a pain to have
become expert on the innards of the installation procedure. BTW, do
you know of any documentation on the innards? So far, I am quite in
the dark on this.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Gene Wirchenko (genew (AT) ocis (DOT) net) writes:
It also tells me somehing about the complexity of writing a fireproof
Setup program. Imagine that you have to write instructions for moving
around in a dense forest, but all you have is a map of how the forest
looked like it was planted. You can forsee some of the surprises, but
not all.

Just as one example - one of the few Setup issues I have actually been
able to help to resolve - a poster in this or some related newsgroup
reported that he had a problem. He made his detail log available, or
cur out the relevant parts. Looking at the log I found that there
was an inner exception which sure was puzzling. The error was that
the font Microsoft Sans Serif was missing! Turned out that the guy
had had some serious problem with his Windows installation and had
to repair it or somesuch. If you were to write an installation program,
would you add a check the one of fonts that ships with Windows is
actually there?

I'm not saying that the SQL Setup is perfect. If nothing else, the logs
are utterly verbose (I believe theare switches to make the logs
even more verbose). But cut the guys some slack. It *is* a difficult
game.

And, yes, my friend you will remain in the dark if you don't make
that detail log available, so that someone here can have a look at
it. No promises that we can help you, but with information at all,
it's definitely not going to happen.

--
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

On Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:35:28 +0200, Erland Sommarskog
<esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se> wrote:

I know that, but they sure do not present things very well. Why
can't the error the sets off the problem be highlighted? At some
point, the decision was made that the installation failed. No matter
how difficult it is to nail down exactly what went wrong, the decision
point is known.

Imagine something like "Installation failed in step Create System
Tables." I do not even have something like that. If I did, I might
find something by feeding the message to Google. I might get some
common reasons why that step fails. Of course, if more useful data is
provided (say, "Unable to create system.mdb in directory C:\<etc>"),
even better.

[snipped excellent example]

It is also a difficult game for me. If my boss were not pushing
to go with Microsoft on this, I would have run screaming to another
DBMS by now.

I have kept trying a bunch of things. Which log do I send? The
last log was apparently not it. Sending the error messages that I
have gotten was apparently not it either. I am not stupid, but the
installation program is sure trying to prove it.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Gene Wirchenko (genew (AT) ocis (DOT) net) writes:
I think one problem is that there are a numbered of nested install
packages. The SQL Setup is certainly not your plain-vanilla install.

I don't have the time to look through your logs tonight. I will have
to look more tomorrow or during the weekend. I just had a brief look,
and just a silly question: have you checked that you are not short on
disk space?

Just make sure that you run in the right direction. I have not worked
with Oracle, but rumor has it that SQL Server is far easier to
administrate, and it starts even with the installation.

--
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

On Thu, 16 Sep 2010 23:57:13 +0200, Erland Sommarskog
<esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se> wrote:

Quite.

I have about 40 GB free.

What rumour?

I worked with it in one course on my computing diploma. I found
it rather user-hostile.

I had the opportunity to work with Oracle again last winter
semester when finishing my BCS degree. It was even worse. (Exporting
a table into a CSV file is one command in Visual FoxPro. The one
command does not have details to worry about. In Oracle, you have to
build a string by supplying quotes and commas as needed. Fortunately,
I did not have any string values with quotes in them.)

Oracle is not a good standard to measure against. It is like
saying one is not an axe murderer.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko