12/4/2017 ErrorinstallingSQLExpress2012,orErrorinstallingSQLExpress2014?

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robert.dyball 9:07 PM on 04 April 2014

Error installing SQL Express 2012, or Error installing SQL Express2014?

If you try doing the out of the box install for SQL Express 2014, SQL Express 2012 (or for that matter SQL Server
2012 or SQL Server 2014) and just want to set up a simple development PC then you will probably get the same
error I did:

Wait on the Database Engine recovery handle failed. Check the SQL Server error log for potential causes.

(for the impatient, skip down a page or two for the fix)

SQL Express 2012, SQL Express 2012 SP1, SQL Enterprise 2012, SQL Express 2014 or SQL Enterprise 2014 will all
generate this same message:

Once you click OK, installation proceeds to the end and shows (in my case) what actually did not install
correctly, along with links to the error log:

the error logs arent a lot of help, typically you get something like this:

Configurationfile:C:\ProgramFiles\MicrosoftSQLServer\110\SetupBootstrap\Log\20140402_153752\

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Detailedresults:
Feature:DatabaseEngineServices
Status:Failed:seelogsfordetails
Reasonforfailure:Anerroroccurredduringthesetupprocessofthefeature.
NextStep:Usethefollowinginformationtoresolvetheerror,uninstallthisfeature,andt
Componentname:SQLServerDatabaseEngineServicesInstanceFeatures
Componenterrorcode:0x851A0019
Errordescription:WaitontheDatabaseEnginerecoveryhandlefailed.ChecktheSQLServererrorlo
Errorhelplink:http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=

Feature:SQLServerReplication
Status:Failed:seelogsfordetails
Reasonforfailure:Anerroroccurredforadependencyofthefeaturecausingthesetupprocessfort
NextStep:Usethefollowinginformationtoresolvetheerror,uninstallthisfeature,andt
Componentname:SQLServerDatabaseEngineServicesInstanceFeatures
Componenterrorcode:0x851A0019
Errordescription:WaitontheDatabaseEnginerecoveryhandlefailed.ChecktheSQLServererrorlo
Errorhelplink:http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=

Feature:SQLClientConnectivity
Status:Passed

Feature:SQLClientConnectivitySDK
Status:Passed

Ruleswithfailures:

attempt at repair didnt entirely work, though at least a few more features appeared ok a erwards, seems the
features that failed werent really installed to begin with.

Configurationfile:C:\ProgramFiles\MicrosoftSQLServer\110\SetupBootstrap\Log\20140402_164618\

Detailedresults:
Feature:DatabaseEngineServices
Status:Failed:seelogsfordetails
Reasonforfailure:Anerroroccurredduringthesetupprocessofthefeature.
NextStep:Usethefollowinginformationtoresolvetheerror,andthentrythesetupproces
Componentname:SQLServerDatabaseEngineServicesInstanceFeatures
Componenterrorcode:0x84B40002
Errordescription:TheSQLServerfeature'SQL_Engine_Core_Inst'isnotinasupportedstateforrep
Errorhelplink:http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=

Feature:SQLServerReplication
Status:Failed:seelogsfordetails
Reasonforfailure:Anerroroccurredforadependencyofthefeaturecausingthesetupprocessfort
NextStep:Usethefollowinginformationtoresolvetheerror,andthentrythesetupproces
Componentname:SQLServerDatabaseEngineServicesInstanceFeatures
Componenterrorcode:0x84B40002
Errordescription:TheSQLServerfeature'SQL_Engine_Core_Inst'isnotinasupportedstateforrep
Errorhelplink:http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=

Feature:SQLBrowser
Status:Passed

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Feature:SQLWriter
Status:Passed

Feature:SQLClientConnectivity
Status:Passed

Feature:SQLClientConnectivitySDK
Status:Passed

Feature:SetupSupportFiles
Status:Passed

Ruleswithfailures:

Some people suggesting changing security on %userprofile%\AppData\Microso \Roaming\Microso \Protect\

folder, but the user accounts are generated during install, so the logical thing (well it worked for me) was to
simply re-use LOCAL SERVICE and NETWORKSERVICE accounts instead.

Caveat: this is a development machine, not production, Im adeveloper not a DBA this is convenient and
expedient for me.

THE FIX

Short version: the fix for SQL 2012 or SQL 2014 installs is the same, just manually set the security for SQL
Server Agent and SQL Server Database Engineto NETWORK SERVICE,
and for SQL Server Analysis Services, SQL Server Reporting Services, and if used for SQL Server Distributed
Replay Client and SQL Server Distributed Replay Controllerall to LOCAL SERVICE

Long version, below:

Heres the complete install procedure end to end for the demo of SQL Server 2012 Enterprise, however the
procedure is much the same for 2014 or SQL Express as well.

SQL 2012 or SQL 2014 installation step 1

Launch the installation by running setup.exe, click on Installation

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SQL 2012 or SQL 2014 installation step 2

Once you click on Installation, click on New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing
installation

SQL 2012 or SQL 2014 installation step 3

A er the checks are completed, click OK

SQL 2012 or SQL 2014 installation step 4

choose your version, click Next

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SQL 2012 or SQL 2014 installation step 5

Click at least I accept the license terms (once you do), and optionally click Send feature usage.. then click
Next

SQL 2012 or SQL 2014 installation step 6

Doesnt hurt to leave the checkbox on, allow installer to add the updates now. BTW This will vary depending on
your install of SQL 2012 or 2014. Click Next.

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