MSSQL 2000 installation error: Setup failed to configure the server. Refer to the server error logs

Question

I'm trying to install MSSQL 2000 on a virtual Windows 2003 instance. However, every time I run the install program, it fails to start the service. This is the error log:

21:46:50 C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\cnfgsvr.exe  -F "C:\WINDOWS\sqlstp.log" -I MSSQLSERVER -V 1 -M 0 -Q "SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS" -H 131408 -U sa -P 
###############################################################################


Starting Service ...

SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS

-m -Q -T4022 -T3659

Connecting to Server ...

driver={sql server};server=xxxxxxxxxx;UID=sa;PWD=;database=master

[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Timeout expired

driver={sql server};server=xxxxxxxxxx;UID=sa;PWD=;database=master

[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Timeout expired

driver={sql server};server=xxxxxxxxxx;UID=sa;PWD=;database=master

[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]Timeout expired

SQL Server configuration failed.

###############################################################################

21:49:34 Process Exit Code: (-1) 
22:19:04 Setup failed to configure the server.   Refer to the server error logs and C:\WINDOWS\sqlstp.log for more information.
22:19:04 Action CleanUpInstall:
22:19:04 C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\1\SqlSetup\Bin\scm.exe  -Silent 1 -Action 4 -Service SQLSERVERAGENT
22:19:05 Process Exit Code: (1060) The specified service does not exist as an installed service.

22:19:05 C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\1\SqlSetup\Bin\scm.exe  -Silent 1 -Action 4 -Service MSSQLSERVER
22:19:05 Process Exit Code: (0) 
22:19:05 StatsGenerate returned: 2
22:19:05 StatsGenerate (0x0,0x1,0xf00000,0x200,1033,303,0x0,0x1,0,0,0
22:19:05 StatsGenerate -1,Administrator)
22:19:05 Installation Failed.

Has anyone had this problem? Any ideas about how to fix it?

Thanks very much,

Michael

Solution

I would suggest that SQL Server simply isn't installing: there are no services to start or connect to...

However, the clue here might be "virtual": KB 327270

And you need at least SP3 to run on Windows 2003: what edition are you installing?

Comments

[kaneuniversal]

Thanks, Nick. That is the C:\WINDOWS\sqlstp.log that I posted.

[Nick Kavadias]

oh. bugger. Anything more meaningful in C:\windows\setup.log or in the errorlog under the sql server path

[kaneuniversal]

I think the "virtual" was the problem. I just got a dedicated server and it worked fine. Thanks, gbn...