Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2012 fixes as one downloadable file. Because the fixes are cumulative, each new release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2012 fix release.
Symptoms
You have multiple instances of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 or SQL Server 2014 located on the same server. If you install updates or service packs for those instances one after another, the Resource database is missing after you restart the server. Additionally, you may find the following entries logged in the SQL Server error log:
Starting up database 'mssqlsystemresource'.
Error: 17204, Severity: 16, State: 1.
FCB::Open failed: Could not open file C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\mssqlsystemresource.mdf for file number 1. OS error: 2(failed to retrieve text for this error. Reason: 15100).
Error: 5120, Severity: 16, State: 101.
Unable to open the physical file "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\mssqlsystemresource.mdf". Operating system error 2: "2(failed to retrieve text for this error. Reason: 15105)".
Error: 17207, Severity: 16, State: 1.
FileMgr::StartLogFiles: Operating system error 2(failed to retrieve text for this error. Reason: 15105) occurred while creating or opening file 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\mssqlsystemresource.ldf'. Diagnose and correct the operating system error, and retry the operation.
File activation failure. The physical file name "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\mssqlsystemresource.ldf" may be incorrect.
Error: 945, Severity: 14, State: 2.
Database 'mssqlsystemresource' cannot be opened due to inaccessible files or insufficient memory or disk space. See the SQL Server errorlog for details.
Cause
The issue occurs when setup is unable to replace the existing resource database files mssqlsystemresource.mdf and mssqlsystemresource.ldf with new versions and the existing resource files are deleted after reboot instead of replacing them with the new files.
Resolution
Cumulative Update information
This issue was first fixed in the following cumulative update of SQL Server:
Each new cumulative update for SQL Server contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous cumulative update. Check out the latest cumulative updates for SQL Server:
Status
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
References
Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.
