Article ID: 907261 - Last Review: November 20, 2007 - Revision: 1.2

BUG: Installation may fail, and you may receive an error message when you try to install SQL Server 2005 64-bit on a 64-bit server

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Bug #: 382072 (SQLBUDT)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 64-bit on a 64-bit server, installation may fail, and you may receive one of the following error messages:

Could not access network location Drive: (x86)\.

The drive specified cannot be used for program location. Program files must be installed on a valid local disk available on all cluster nodes. The valid values are C:, D:

Note In the first error message, the parenthetical element "(x86)" is located between the drive path and the initial backslash. Drive represents the drive on which you are installing SQL Server 2005 64-bit.

You may receive the first error message when try to install SQL Server 2005 64-bit to a root drive on the computer.

Additionally, you receive the second error message if you install SQL Server 2005 64-bit on a cluster node.

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CAUSE

Some of the components of SQL Server 2005 64-bit are 32-bit components. When you try to install a 32-bit component on a computer that is running a 64-bit operating system, the Setup process for the 32-bit component automatically appends "x86" to the installation path. This causes the 32-bit component to be installed under the Drive:(x86)\ path. Drive:(x86)\ is not a valid installation path. Therefore, the installation fails.

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WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, do not try to install SQL Server 2005 64-bit to the root folder of a drive. Instead, install SQL Server 2005 64-bit to a folder, such as Drive:\SQL.

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