I was trying to install SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition on an XP SP3 workstation today but setup kept failing. The setup screen looked like this:
Looking in the log I found:
=== Verbose logging started: 6/23/2008 11:09:27 Build type: SHIP UNICODE 3.01.4001.5512 Calling process: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\setup.exe === MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: Resetting cached policy values MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0 MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: ******* RunEngine: ******* Product: {AEB9948B-4FF2-47C9-990E-47014492A0FE} ******* Action: ******* CommandLine: ********** MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: Client-side and UI is none or basic: Running entire install on the server. MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: Grabbed execution mutex. MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: Cloaking enabled. MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: Attempting to enable all disabled priveleges before calling Install on Server MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:540]: Incrementing counter to disable shutdown. Counter after increment: 0 MSI (s) (14:38) [11:09:27:540]: Grabbed execution mutex. MSI (s) (14:14) [11:09:27:540]: Resetting cached policy values MSI (s) (14:14) [11:09:27:540]: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0 MSI (s) (14:14) [11:09:27:540]: ******* RunEngine: ******* Product: {AEB9948B-4FF2-47C9-990E-47014492A0FE} ******* Action: ******* CommandLine: ********** MSI (s) (14:14) [11:09:27:540]: Machine policy value 'DisableUserInstalls' is 0 MSI (s) (14:14) [11:09:27:555]: MainEngineThread is returning 1605 MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:555]: Decrementing counter to disable shutdown. If counter >= 0, shutdown will be denied. Counter after decrement: -1 MSI (c) (B8:40) [11:09:27:555]: MainEngineThread is returning 1605 === Verbose logging stopped: 6/23/2008 11:09:27 ===
After some searching on the web I discovered a solution here: http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/ShowPost.aspx?postid=2113041&isthread=false&siteid=1&authhash=aad032b508898d0d2d15a68c05396c2b476b4c7c&ticks=633247841167440228.
Looks like the MSXML 6 installer leaves something behind that SQL Server Setup doesn’t like. The solution is to download the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility and get rid of the MSXML 6 installer files. After that—smooth sailing.