sql server msde: hi this happened to me a lot of times...
Usually I manually delete microsoft sql server folder (if exists) from
program files and when I execute setup again... it works...
hope this helps
another desperate soul!
tom

uhm...
if you have norton antvirus or some sw firewall... or windows
defender... try to stop those during install...
if it doesn't help try this...
launch the install... and when it hangs open the task manager...
there should be more than one msiexec in processes... try to kill one
of those hopefully not the main one!
good luck
tom

Dear Freinds,
I purchased a piece of software yesterday for over 600 dollars. That
Application depends on installing SQL Server Desktop Engine. It goes to "6
seconds left" and then just hangs. I tried a hundred times - same results.
After some 5 hours of research i did find that if you have rapid user
switiching this will happen. So I went to CP and changed that. Didn't
help...
Now what's strange is, that even though I chose to log on with a password
and not automatic log on, it's still not asking me for a password at log on
(however if I change a user it does).
So one or the other - if this really *is* the problem how can we get windows
(XP PRO SP2) to ask for a logon password, or is there a way to get the
installation done without fixing this.

I was at the office last night till 4:30 am till my wife called and asked
"where the hell are you???"
Please help a desperate soul....
TIA
Raffi B.

Been there done that. I even erased every reference to sql server in the
registry. Didn't help. Just hangs at 6 or seven seconds left.....SOS

hi,
[quoted text, click to view]

the most common causes of this problem can be found at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;816499&Product=sql
and it seems you did not completely clean eventual previous installations..
--
Andrea Montanari (Microsoft MVP - SQL Server)
http://www.asql.biz http://italy.mvps.org
DbaMgr2k ver 0.19.0 - DbaMgr ver 0.63.0 and further SQL Tools
--------- remove DMO to reply

Ok, something happened... (i had already disabled all anti virus and
firewall apps. even uninstalled them)

Now it's not hanging anymore it runs till the end and then sais:

"Setup failed to configure the server. Refer to the server error logs and
setup error logs for more information"

Where are these logs? What are their names? What should I be looking for in
them???
Argh..............................................

[quoted text, click to view]

hi,
[quoted text, click to view]

does the log file report the very same problem?
try having a look at http://www.macropool.com/en/download/mdac_xp_sp2.html
if you are running on XP sp2 os..
--
Andrea Montanari (Microsoft MVP - SQL Server)
http://www.asql.biz http://italy.mvps.org
DbaMgr2k ver 0.19.0 - DbaMgr ver 0.63.0 and further SQL Tools
--------- remove DMO to reply

Ok, I manually removed everything. EVERYTHING. Searched the registry for:
mssql, sql server, sqlserver and it is clean.
Reboted
loged off and logged in
ran setup
the progrssion bar runs to the end - HURRAY!!!
then it rolls back <-- crying here
setup quits <-- calling mentel health hotline here

I can't take another sleepless night at the office
Please someone save me.....



[quoted text, click to view]

hi,
[quoted text, click to view]

in order to enable installation logging, you have to provide the additional
parameter
/L*v "c:\MsdeLog.txt"
to the setup.exe MSDE boostrap installer ... this will result in an about
2mb text file (for succesfull installation) you can inspect for
RETURN VALUE 3
entries in case of trouble... about 10 lines before each entry some
(sometime cryptic) description of the problem will be reported..
--
Andrea Montanari (Microsoft MVP - SQL Server)
http://www.asql.biz http://italy.mvps.org
DbaMgr2k ver 0.19.0 - DbaMgr ver 0.63.0 and further SQL Tools
--------- remove DMO to reply

What log? Where is it??

[quoted text, click to view]

It seems like I have run across this problem in the past. There are a
couple of things you might try... To enable windows asking for your
password at logon do the following (on windows XP): Click start, then
run. In the run box type "Control userpasswords2" (without the quotes).
This will bring up a hidden control panel app. In the dialog that
displays, click on the "Users must enter a username and password to use
this computer" This will solve your logon issue.

Second, I have seen the MSDE installs crap out because there are the
remnants of the mssqlserver service in the Service Control Manager. If
the service is marked for deletion, it won't be able to reinstall the
service--- thus stopping right around 6 seconds or so. It is at the 6
second point that it starts the server and runs some configuration SQL
scripts.

And what you can do depends a lot upon how the third party app is
calling the MSDE install. If you are not calling the installer directly
yourself, you will not be able to create the log file.

If you have access to the .msi file, you can use the commands that the
previous poster gave you. You can also download msizap which is part of
the windows installer SDK. Msizap will remove all traces of an MSI
install and let you start with a clean slate (you still need to remove
the c:\program files\microsoft sql server directory). But if the third
party app is installing MSDE on it's own it kind of limits what you can do.

Good Luck!

[quoted text, click to view]