Troubleshooting a Failed Install

SETUP.EXE compresses all the log files for each execution of setup into a single CAB file.

Note

It is possible for setup to fail prior to creating the CAB file. If this is the case, the files will still exist singly.

The CAB files will be in the following directory:

 "%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Files 

The format of the CAB file name is:

 SQLSetup[XXXX]_[Machine]_logs.CAB 

The XXXX in the filename is a number incremented each time setup is run. You will be looking for the most recent CAB file. If setup fails, here are the initial troubleshooting steps PSS recommends:

1. The first and best place to get information is via the Web. Google for the error number. Also, go specifically to the Microsoft Knowledge Base and search for the error number there as well.

2. Setup installs components, each in its own MSI. The status of each of these installations is included in the Summary.txt file. Get it from the most recent SQLSetup[XXXX]_[Machine]_logs.cab. Each of the component installs should have a summary that looks like this one:

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Machine         : AMDF2002 Product         : Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Data Transformation Services Product Version : 9.00.1399 Install         : Successful Log File        : D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Files\SQLSetup0003_AMDF2002_DTS.log ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 

3. You are looking for the first MSI install that failed. Search for "Install: Failed." The error number and message here may be sufficient to identify the cause of the failure. Use the error number and message you find to search for a resolution. If you need additional details, use the log file named in the summary. Look in this file for the component that failed. For the preceding summary, the log file is SQLSetup0003_AMDF2002_DTS.log. Search for "Return Value 3" in the Windows Installer log. The message you are looking for is usually just above this message, the first time it occurs.

4. If the Summary.txt file does not exist or does not have a failed component, check the datastore dump file (SQLSetup[XXXX]_[Machine]_Datastore.XML). It may have more error details. You are looking for "SetupStateScope." The error information, identified as "Watson*" properties, should be in this node.

5. The next place to check is the Core(Local) and Core(Patched) log. The filenames for these are SQLSetup0001_<srvr>_Core(Local).log. Search it for errors. You are in the neighborhood where PSS will likely need to assist with the interpretation.

6. Is this a cluster install? If so, search the Task Scheduler log on the failing node. The filename is %WINDIR%\Tasks\SchedLgU.TXT. Look for "TaskScheduler" error references. In a clustered SQL 2005 setup, the Task Scheduler service is used to launch setup on the remote nodes. To help you find this log, go to Control Panel Scheduled Tasks, and then select View Log under the Advanced drop-down menu. This will open the log in Notepad, and you can File Save As to keep a copy. Look for "Access Denied" errors in the log. These indicate a known Windows bug. As a workaround the "Access Denied" bug, log off any active sessions on the remote node before running setup again.

7. Of course, search the Knowledge Base for any errors you discover in these logs.

If you call PSS with a setup issue, they'll want that CAB file (plus other system logs).