When installing SQL Server 2008 SSMS fails to install with an error that the
Handle is Invalid. This caused me to uninstall and reinstall 3 separate
times. Before the last reinstall I uninstalled all of SQL Server 2005 and it
made no difference. My intent was to use SQL Server 2008 SSMS to control SQL
Server 2000 and 2005 databases also but I no longer even have SSMS on my
system because of the failed installs.

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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

SteveKing (dev (AT) generallee (DOT) com) writes:
I believe that this is due to that something is wacko in your registry.

But before we go any further: do you have SQLPrompt from RedGate installed?
There is an issue with SQLPrompt where it can cause the SSMS installation
to fail. As I resarched this, it appears that the symptom is different in
that case, but there is a voice in the back of my head. In such case, get
version 3.9 of SQL Prompt.


The first attempt to track this down is to look at the log file. In
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log you will
find a number of directories, one for each install attempt. In that
directory, there are a number of log files, and one is for SSMS. These
logs are extremely verbose, and trying to read it all is a hopeless
task. Start from the back, and try to find out where things go wrong.
Or search for "error" or "invalid".

That may sort things out, but most likely not. The next thing to try
is Process Monitor which you can download from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

Run this as you run the install. You can apply filters, and errors
usually sticks out. This should lead to the culprit, but it's certainly
tedious.

--
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