SQL Express installation fails on Win2000 machines...

[Steve]

I am finding the my SQL Express installation is failing only on Windows 2000 machines... and I know why....

In order to troubleshoot this I ran the SQL Express installation from Microsoft on its own (instead if the SQL Express Application Runtime included with InstallAware). The MS installation does a check on prerequisites and tells me that the minimum MDAC version required is not installed.

My installation actually installs the Application Runtime "MDAC Refresh 2.8 with Service Pack 1", however it does not perform the MDAC installation prior to the SQL Express application runtime being fired. Of course the end result of this is that my SQL Express setup succeeds on XP but fails on Win2000 (my setup on XP installations is always successful because the minimum MDAC version required by SQL Express already comes installed with XP).


So my question is, how do I best control the order of the Runtimes to ensure that MDAC gets installed prior to the SQL Express Runtime and what do I need to worry about messing up in the process changing that order?

Currently, within the '[DEFINE REGION: Check Application Pre-Requisites]' area of my MSIcode the following application Runtimes are listed in the order:

Code: Select all

Include Script: checkie6
Include Script: checkvc81
Include Script: checkmsi31
Include Script: checknet20
Include Script: ci_checksql2005
Include Script: checkmdac281
Include Script: checkvb6


When I add the ''MDAC Refresh 2.8', the code changes to add 'Include Script: checkmdac28' to the top of the list, like so:

Code: Select all

Include Script: checkmdac28
Include Script: checkie6
Include Script: checkvc81
Include Script: checkmsi31
Include Script: checknet20
Include Script: ci_checksql2005
Include Script: checkmdac281
Include Script: checkvb6


So, why does 'Include Script: checkmdac28' get added to the start of the list? Is there a specific reason for the 'Include Script:' order shown above or is the most recent 'Application Runtime' selection order simply always added to the top of the list?

This actually leads me to another related question which is, what is the difference bertween "MDAC Refresh 2.8 with Service Pack 1" and "MDAC Refresh 2.8"? (I can't seem to find a good explaination of this anywhere.) Does the 'MDAC Refresh 2.8' need to be installed along with the 'MDAC Refresh 2.8 with Service Pack 1'? If not, how do you decide which of the two that you should add to your setup?

Thanks very much,
Steve

[MichaelNesmith]

The default add order is as follows:

Include Script: checkie6
Include Script: checkmsi31
Include Script: checknet20
Include Script: checkmdac28
Include Script: checksql2005

(and likewise for the setup scripts). I notice your list makes use of some custom scripts, so perhaps you customized your application runtimes?

Be sure to check out this whitepaper, so you know how to specify the prereq order:
http://www.installaware.com/installawar ... s_view.pdf

As for MDAC 2.8 with SP1 versus 2.8, I believe the former cannot be installed on Windows XP (it comes with SP2 and cannot be installed stand alone), whereas the latter can be installed on XP (XP's default is 2.6-ish).

[Steve]

Michael,
as aways, thanks very much!