Hi all. I have a weird bug when trying to install SQL Server 2012 Express with Advanced Services (same issue with 2008 with Advanced Services). I can get past the initial extraction phase, but when the installer tries to run setup.exe after the extraction (I assume it is trying to run setup.exe?), a DOS window opens and then closes almost right after, and then the extraction directory and its contents are deleted. When I use TaskManager to track the service, SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU_2012.exe*32 is running during the extraction phase but once it runs setup.exe and the DOS window opens and closes, SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU_2012.exe*32 disappears from the TaskManager. I am running SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU.exe (I'm using Windows 7, 64 bit) as downloaded from the Microsoft SQL Server Express 2012 site. It's frustrating because I don't even get an error message from the installer on what the problem is.
To troubleshoot this, I have done the following:
1) I made a copy of the 2012 Advanced Services extraction directory so I could run setup.exe directly. Unfortunately, when I run setup.exe, the DOS window opens and closes immediately and I get no error message.
2) I have tried to install SQL Server Express 2008 with Advanced Services (the file is also named SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU.exe). The same thing happens - extraction works but then the DOS window opens and closes after extraction and I get no error message.
3) I have even tried to install regular SQL Server Express 2012 (SQLEXPR_x64_ENU_2012.exe) but the same thing happens - extraction works but then the DOS window opens and closes after extraction and I get no error message.
4) I have also tried the 32 bit version of 2012 Advanced Services (SQLEXPRADV_x86_ENU) but the same thing happens - extraction works but then the DOS window opens and closes after extraction and I get no error message.
5) I have rebooted my computer and tried to install SQL Server 2012 Advanced Services from scratch but that didn't work either.
6) I have tried to install SQL Server 2012 Advanced Services in safe mode (in case my anti-virus program - that is, Microsoft Security Essentials - was causing problems). Same result - extraction works but setup.exe fails after opening and closing a DOS window.
All the above have been attempted with Administrator privileges (ie. right click on the exe and "Run as Administrator") so insufficient privileges shouldn't be the issue either. I have no problems installing other programs (I've probably installed 15+ programs this year) so this is just a weird bug/quirk with SQL Server Express installer.
To top it off, I tried to look for a log file for the installation at C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\ but I can't even find this directory. My guess is this directory was never created because setup.exe fails immediately. Also, I cannot find sqlsetup*.log in the %temp% directory.
FYI, my system is as follows:
Windows 7, Home Premium, Service Pack 1, 64 bit
SQL Server Express 2008 R2 already installed (without Advanced Services)
Microsoft Security Essentials
I have more than enough space on my hard drive so space shouldn't be an issue. My only guess is that my earlier installation of SQL Server Express 2008 R2 (without Advanced Services) has done something that is affecting my current attempts at installation?
Help would be appreciated. Thanks!