How to troubleshoot SQL Server 2008 Setup issues

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INTRODUCTION

This article describes how to troubleshoot issues that you may experience when you install Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

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MORE INFORMATION

How to resolve common SQL Server 2008 issues

This section describes some of the most common SQL Server 2008 Setup issues.

Scenario 1

To resolve pre-setup issues, follow these steps.

Note When you experience pre-setup issues, verify the log files for pre-setup errors. The log files are located in the following folder:

%Program files%\Microsoft sql server\100\Setup bootstrap\Log\Date Time

Pre-setup errors are typically logged in the Summary.txt file and in the Detail.txt file.

Prerequisites
Make sure that the computer has the minimum software and hardware requirements for installing SQL Server 2008.

For more information about minimum software and hardware requirements for installing SQL Server 2008, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506(SQL.100).aspx (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506(SQL.100).aspx)

Version and edition issues
Make sure that the version of SQL Server that is currently running on the computer is valid for upgrading to the particular version of SQL Server 2008. For example, upgrading from an earlier Enterprise Edition of SQL Server to SQL Server 2008 Workgroup Edition is not supported.

This issue can be verified in the Detail.txt log file. For example, consider the following Detail.txt log file:

2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuUpgradeRule : Rule 'FeatureUpgradeMatrixCheck' looking for previous version upgrade data for feature package 'sql_as_Cpu64'.
2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuUpgradeRule : Found upgraded feature package 'AS2005_Cpu64' with SkuValue=ENTERPRISE ProductVersion=9.2.3042.00
2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuUpgradeRule : Rule 'FeatureUpgradeMatrixCheck' found sourceVersion 9.0 and edition ENTERPRISE for feature package 'sql_as_Cpu64'.
2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuPublicConfigObject : ValidateSkuMatrix checking sku matrix for sourceVersion=9.0 sourceEdition=ENTERPRISE sourceArchitecture=X64 targetEdition=EVAL targetArchitecture=X64
2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuPublicConfigObject : ValidateSkuMatrix source and target architecture match.
2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuPublicConfigObject : ValidateSkuMatrix did not find a match in sku matrix .
2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuUpgradeRule : Rule 'FeatureUpgradeMatrixCheck' feature package 'sql_as_Cpu64' is blocking upgrade.
2008-06-07 12:49:26 Slp: -- SkuUpgradeRule : Rule 'FeatureUpgradeMatrixCheck' detection result: IsValidFeatureUpgrade=False

The "ValidateSkuMatrix did not find a match in sku matrix" entry shows that the current upgrade from ENTERPRISE to EVAL is not supported.

For more information about the upgrade scenarios that are supported in SQL Server 2008, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393(SQL.100).aspx (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393(SQL.100).aspx)

Invalid instance name
Make sure that you provide the correct instance name when you upgrade to SQL Server 2008.

Scenario 2

To resolve issues that occur after an unsuccessful upgrade to SQL Server 2008, follow these steps:

Search the Details.txt log file for errors. The Details.txt log file contains a reference to the appropriate .msi log file. The appropriate .msi log file is located in the following folder:
%Program files%\Microsoft sql server\100\Setup bootstrap\Log\Date Time
After you locate the error, resolve the issue appropriately, and then uninstall SQL Server 2008. To uninstall SQL Server 2008, use the uninstall command that is displayed in the Summary.txt log file. The Summary.txt log file may contain a command that resembles the following:
```
Overall summary:
 Final result:                  SQL Server upgrade failed. To continue, investigate the reason for the failure, correct the problem, uninstall SQL Server using the following command line, and then rerun SQL Server Setup. Uninstall command line: setup /q /action=uninstall /instanceid=MSSQLSERVER /features=SQLEngine,Replication,FullText,AS
  Exit code (Decimal):           -2068643839
  Exit facility code:            1203
  Exit error code:               1
  Exit message:                  SQL Server upgrade failed. To continue, investigate the reason for the failure, correct the problem, uninstall SQL Server using the following command line, and then rerun SQL Server Setup. Uninstall command line: setup /q /action=uninstall /instanceid=MSSQLSERVER /features=SQLEngine,Replication,FullText,AS
  Start time:                    2008-05-22 12:22:55
  End time:                      2008-05-22 12:40:45
Requested action:              Upgrade
```
Notes
- The switch /q in the uninstall command is required. SQL Server 2008 does not support the uninstallation of nameless instances by using the UI. The appropriate instance will not be available for uninstallation if you do not use the /q switch.
- The switch /instanceid is required. You must use the instance ID to uninstall because the instance that is used is nameless. Typically, the instance ID is the same as instanceName. The instance ID is configurable. Therefore, you must make sure that you use the correct instance ID.
- For the previous reasons, it is best to use the uninstall command that is displayed in the Summary.txt log file.
- The upgrade process is blocked after an unsuccessful upgrade. If you try to upgrade again but do not uninstall SQL Server 2008 first by using the uninstall command, several sets of logs are created by the upgrade process. You may have to search all the log files to locate the uninstall command that you must use to remove the incomplete installation of SQL Server 2008.
Upgrade SQL Server 2008 again.

Scenario 3

You find that the old instance is no longer running and that the new instance is not available. This scenario occurs after the upgrade process reaches the point of no return. Typically, this issue occurs because of configuration extensions.

To troubleshoot this issue, follow these steps:

Search the Details.txt log file for errors.

The Summary.txt log file may contain information that resembles the following:

Overall summary:
  Final result:                  SQL Server upgrade failed. To continue, investigate the reason for the failure, correct the problem, and then repair your installation.
  Exit code (Decimal):           -2068643839
  Exit facility code:            1203
  Exit error code:               1
  Exit message:                  SQL Server upgrade failed. To continue, investigate the reason for the failure, correct the problem, and then repair your installation.
  Start time:                    2008-05-23 17:06:27
  End time:                      2008-05-23 17:17:25
  Requested action:              Upgrade

Note The Summary.txt log file displays information that you must use to repair your installation.

After you locate the error, resolve the issue appropriately.
Repair SQL Server 2008. To do this, type the following command at the command prompt, and then press ENTER:
Setup.exe /q /ACTION=Repair /INSTANCENAME=instancename
Note You must use the repair command at the command prompt. You must not use the UI.

Scenario 4

You notice that the Detail.txt log file contains a message that resembles the following:

ValidateSkuMatrix did not find a match in sku matrix

This issue occurs if you upgrade from a version of SQL Server that is not valid for upgrading. For example, this issue occurs if you upgrade from SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1 (SP1) to SQL Server 2008.

For more information about the upgrade scenarios that are supported in SQL Server 2008, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393(SQL.100).aspx ( http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143393(SQL.100).aspx)

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