Installation

SQL 2005 SP3 Failing to install with password length error

When installing SQL Server 2005 SP3 you may get an error about the password being to short, and it may have nothing to do with your sa password.  It’s because the Install Scripts are trying to create a certificate with a password which doesn’t meet your domain’s password requirements.

If you get this error navigate to the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Upgrade folder.  Find the script for upgrading the SQL Agent.  Open the script and find the CREATE CERTIFICATE statement.  Make the password longer.  In my case I added 123456@ to the end of the password.  The password is in two different places in the script.

Then open Add/Remove Programs and select SQL Server 2005 and select Change.  Then run though the wizard to complete the installation of the service pack.

Denny

When clustering SQL 2008, SQL Server may reject the Key

When installing SQL Server 2008 Enterprise onto my new SQL Cluster I downloaded the media from Microsoft and dropped it onto a network share and installed it.  The first node went perfectly, the second node, not so much.  When I went to install on the second node I would get to the screen which asked for the Key (it is a volume license install so the key was already there) and when I clicked next it told me that the key was invalid and the installer exited. Continued »

My Windows 7 Install Experience

Those of us with MSDN or TechNet accounts got access to the new Windows 7 build last night.  So I had my work PC spend the night downloading it, and spent this afternoon installing it today under VMware ESX.  I’ve recorded the install for posterity.  I paused the recording during the borring parts like waiting for the files to expand. Continued »

New Article: Create an upgrade plan for your move to SQL Server 2005

I’ve published a new tip over on SearchSQLServer.com entitled “Create an upgrade plan for your move to SQL Server 2005“.

While it’s based on upgrading to SQL Server 2005 it can be used to upgrade to SQL Server 2008 as well.

Denny

Guide to Installing SQL 2000 and SQL 2005 on the same machine

You can install SQL 2000 and SQL 2005 on the same machine.  I always recommend that they be installed in this order to try and get everything working as best as possible.

1. Install SQL 2000
2. Install SQL 2005
3. Install SQL 2000 SP4 (Or the latest service pack)
4. Install SQL 2005 SP2 (Or the latest service pack)

Denny

SQL 2008 November CTP

We’ll I’ve finely gotten around to installing the SQL 2008 November CTP.  While walking through the installer I have seen some excellent changes.  Not only is the option to change the paths of the data files no longer hidden, there are more than just two options.  There are at least 7 paths that you get to specify while installing.  The first one is the Shared component directory.  This appears to be the base path where all your binarys will be based off of.

 Next you get the Instance root directory.  This is where the system database files will be based off of, so make sure that you don’t point this to the C drive is you want the system databases on another drive.

A couple of screens later you get to set 6 install paths.  The first is the data root directory.  This changes the base path for all the others options.  The others are the User database folder, user log database folder, tempdb data folder, tempdb log folder, and the backup directory.

This amount of flexability in the installer is a first, and it’s a welcome change.  Look for more posts, tips and articles about SQL Server 2008 in the comming weeks and months up till the release.

Denny