I’ve been trying to install Ms SQL Server 2005 for over two weeks now, and I’ve finally gotten to the point where the prerequisites all seem to be in place. Unfortunately, every time I try to install SQL Server itself, I get the following message:
“The SQL Server service failed to start. For more information, see the SQL Server Books Online topics, "How to: View SQL Server 2005 Setup Log Files" and "Starting SQL Server Manually."”
The installer then “rolls back” the install and I’m left with three uninstalled products in the Setup list: “SQL Server Database Services,” “Reporting Services,” and “Workstation Components, Books Online…”.
Does anyone have any thoughts? I can’t check the SQL Server Books Online topics because they don’t install, either; and I can’t make sense of the log files without them.
Thanks!