SQL Server 2008 Setup Support Files - What You Need to Know
Sqlsupport Msi Download 2008 R2 19: What You Need to Know
If you are using Microsoft SQL Server 2008, you may have encountered some issues with the installation or update process. One of these issues is related to a missing or outdated file called Sqlsupport Msi, which is part of the SQL Server setup support files. In this article, we will explain what Sqlsupport Msi is, why you may need to download it for SQL Server 2008 R2, and how to do it in different ways. We will also cover some other topics that are relevant for SQL Server 2008 users, such as slipstreaming, setup hotfixes, and Windows Installer cache files.
Sqlsupport Msi Download 2008 R2 19
How to Update or Slipstream an Installation of SQL Server 2008
One of the reasons why you may need to download Sqlsupport Msi is because you want to update or slipstream an installation of SQL Server 2008. Slipstreaming is a technique that allows you to install SQL Server with the latest service pack or cumulative update applied at the same time. This can help you avoid known setup issues that may occur with older versions of SQL Server. Starting from SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1, you can use the slipstream infrastructure to update SQL Server by following these procedures:
Procedure 1: Basic Slipstream Steps
Create a slipstream folder on your computer or on a network share.
Copy all the original installation files from your SQL Server installation media (such as DVD or ISO file) into this folder.
Download the latest service pack or cumulative update for your edition of SQL Server from Microsoft website.
Extract all the files from this package into a subfolder under your slipstream folder. For example, if your slipstream folder is C:\Slipstream, you can create a subfolder called C:\Slipstream\SP1 or C:\Slipstream\CU19.
Run the setup.exe file from the slipstream folder to start the installation or upgrade of SQL Server 2008 with the service pack or cumulative update included.
Procedure 2: Create a Merged Drop
An alternative way to slipstream SQL Server 2008 is to create a merged drop, which is a single media layout that contains both the original installation files and the service pack or cumulative update files. This can be useful if you want to distribute the updated SQL Server media to other computers or users. To create a merged drop, you need to follow these steps:
Create a folder on your computer or on a network share that will contain the merged drop.
Copy all the original installation files from your SQL Server installation media into this folder.
Download the latest service pack or cumulative update for your edition of SQL Server from Microsoft website.
Extract all the files from this package into a temporary folder on your computer.
Run the following command from an elevated command prompt, where MergedDropFolder is the path to the folder that contains the original installation files, and ServicePackFolder is the path to the temporary folder that contains the service pack or cumulative update files:
ServicePackFolder\PCUSource\setup.exe /action=mergedrop /mergedroplocation=MergedDropFolder
This command will merge the two sets of files into one media layout in the MergedDropFolder.
Delete the temporary folder that contains the service pack or cumulative update files.
Run the setup.exe file from the MergedDropFolder to start the installation or upgrade of SQL Server 2008 with the service pack or cumulative update included.
Verify if You Have Completed a Slipstream Update
To verify if you have successfully slipstreamed SQL Server 2008 with a service pack or cumulative update, you can check the following things:
The version of the setup.exe file in your slipstream folder or merged drop folder should match the version of the service pack or cumulative update that you applied. For example, if you slipstreamed SQL Server 2008 with Service Pack 4, the version of setup.exe should be 10.00.6000.29. You can check the version by right-clicking on the file, selecting Properties, and then clicking on Details.
The version of the SQL Server components that are installed or upgraded should also match the version of the service pack or cumulative update that you applied. For example, if you slipstreamed SQL Server 2008 with Cumulative Update 19, the version of SQL Server Database Engine should be 10.0.6567.0. You can check the version by running the following query in SQL Server Management Studio:
SELECT @@VERSION
This query will return information about your SQL Server instance, including its product level and build number.
How to Update the SQL Server 2008 Setup Support Files
Another reason why you may need to download Sqlsupport Msi is because you want to update the SQL Server 2008 setup support files. The setup support files are a set of components that are required for installing, upgrading, or removing SQL Server product features. They include Sqlsupport Msi, which is an installer package that contains various DLLs and executables that are used by SQL Server setup.
If you have an older version of Sqlsupport Msi on your computer, you may encounter some errors or warnings during SQL Server setup. For example, you may see messages like "The INSTANCESHAREDWOWDIR command line value is not valid" or "The credentials you provided for the SQL Server service are not valid" or "The SQL Server service failed to start". These messages indicate that your setup support files are not compatible with the service pack or cumulative update that you are trying to install.
To avoid these issues, you need to update the setup support files before you install or upgrade SQL Server 2008. There are two ways to do this:
Option 1: Install the SQLSupport.msi File Directly
The easiest way to update the setup support files is to run the SQLSupport.msi file directly from the service pack or cumulative update folder that you downloaded. This will install the latest version of Sqlsupport Msi and other setup support files on your computer. To do this, follow these steps:
Download the latest service pack or cumulative update for your edition of SQL Server 2008 from Microsoft website.
Extract all the files from this package into a folder on your computer.
Locate the SQLSupport.msi file in this folder. It should be under a subfolder called PCUSource or x64\PCUSource or x86\PCUSource, depending on your system architecture.
Double-click on the SQLSupport.msi file to run it. You may need to provide administrative credentials or confirm a User Account Control prompt.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation of the setup support files.
Option 2: Update the Original Media Files
Another way to update the setup support files is to replace the original SQLSupport.msi file with the updated one in the original media layout of SQL Server 2008. This can be useful if you want to create a slipstreamed or merged drop of SQL Server 2008 with the latest setup support files included. To do this, follow these steps:
Create a folder on your computer or on a network share that will contain the updated media layout of SQL Server 2008.
Copy all the original installation files from your SQL Server installation media into this folder.
Download the latest service pack or cumulative update for your edition of SQL Server 2008 from Microsoft website.
Extract all the files from this package into a temporary folder on your computer.
Locate the SQLSupport.msi file in this folder. It should be under a subfolder called PCUSource or x64\PCUSource or x86\PCUSource, depending on your system architecture.
Copy this file and paste it into the subfolder called Servers or x64\Servers or x86\Servers in your updated media layout folder, overwriting the existing SQLSupport.msi file.
Delete the temporary folder that contains the service pack or cumulative update files.
Run the setup.exe file from your updated media layout folder to start the installation or upgrade of SQL Server 2008 with the updated setup support files included.
How to Obtain Setup Hotfixes for SQL Server 2008
Sometimes, you may need to download Sqlsupport Msi because you want to obtain a setup hotfix for SQL Server 2008. A setup hotfix is a special type of update that fixes a specific issue that affects only the setup process of SQL Server. For example, you may need a setup hotfix if you encounter an error message like "The following error has occurred: The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 29506" or "The following error has occurred: The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2337". These messages indicate that there is a problem with the installation media or the Windows Installer service. To fix these issues, you need to download and install a setup hotfix that is specific to your SQL Server version and edition. You can find the latest setup hotfixes for SQL Server 2008 in the following locations: - For SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 4, you can download the setup hotfixes from this page: [SQL Server 2008 SP4 Setup Hotfixes]. - For SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 3, you can download the setup hotfixes from this page: [SQL Server 2008 SP3 Setup Hotfixes]. - For SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 2, you can download the setup hotfixes from this page: [SQL Server 2008 SP2 Setup Hotfixes]. - For SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1, you can download the setup hotfixes from this page: [SQL Server 2008 SP1 Setup Hotfixes]. - For SQL Server 2008 RTM, you can request the setup hotfixes from Microsoft Support by following the instructions on this page: [How to obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 2008]. To install a setup hotfix, you need to follow these steps: 1. Download the setup hotfix package that matches your SQL Server version and edition from the links above. 2. Extract all the files from this package into a folder on your computer. 3. Locate the SQLSupport.msi file in this folder. It should be under a subfolder called PCUSource or x64\PCUSource or x86\PCUSource, depending on your system architecture. 4. Double-click on the SQLSupport.msi file to run it. You may need to provide administrative credentials or confirm a User Account Control prompt. 5. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation of the setup hotfix. 6. Run the setup.exe file from your SQL Server installation media or slipstream folder to start the installation or upgrade of SQL Server 2008 with the setup hotfix applied. How to Restore the Missing Windows Installer Cache Files
Another reason why you may need to download Sqlsupport Msi is because you want to restore the missing Windows Installer cache files for SQL Server 2008. The Windows Installer cache files are a set of files that are stored in a hidden system folder called C:\Windows\Installer. These files are used by Windows Installer to keep track of the installed components and features of SQL Server and other applications. They are also used by Windows Installer to perform maintenance tasks such as repairing, uninstalling, or upgrading SQL Server.
If these files are missing or corrupted, you may encounter some problems with SQL Server setup or operation. For example, you may see messages like "The cached MSI file 'C:\Windows\Installer\Sqlsupport.msi' is missing" or "The patch is missing from the Windows Installer cache" or "The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable". These messages indicate that Windows Installer cannot find or access the required cache files for SQL Server.
To fix these problems, you need to restore the missing Windows Installer cache files from a backup or another source. You can use the following tools to help you with this task:
Use the SQL Server 2008 R2 BPA Tool to Identify the Missing Files
The first tool that you can use is the SQL Server 2008 R2 Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) tool, which is a diagnostic tool that can scan your SQL Server instance and identify potential issues and best practices violations. One of the issues that it can detect is the missing Windows Installer cache files for SQL Server product components. To use this tool, you need to follow these steps:
Download and install the SQL Server 2008 R2 BPA tool from this page: [Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Best Practices Analyzer].
Run the BPA tool from Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 > Best Practices Analyzer.
Select your SQL Server instance and click on Start Scan.
Wait for the scan to complete and review the results.
Look for any issues with a severity level of Error and a category of Setup.
Click on each issue to see more details and recommendations.
Note down the list of all the missing Windows Installer cache files related to SQL Server product components. You will need this list for the next step.
Use the MSI File Re-Cache Tool to Restore the Missing Files
The second tool that you can use is the MSI File Re-Cache tool, which is a command line utility that can restore the missing Windows Installer cache files from a backup or another source. To use this tool, you need to follow these steps:
Download and extract the MSI File Re-Cache tool from this page: [MSI File Re-Cache Tool].
Open an elevated command prompt and navigate to the folder where you extracted the tool.
Run the following command, where MissingFileList.txt is the name of a text file that contains the list of the missing Windows Installer cache files that you obtained from the BPA tool, and SourceFolder is the path to a folder that contains the backup or source of these files:
MSIFileReCache.exe /f MissingFileList.txt /s SourceFolder
This command will copy the missing files from the source folder to the Windows Installer cache folder and update the registry entries accordingly.
Verify that the missing files are restored by running the BPA tool again and checking for any remaining issues.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained what Sqlsupport Msi is, why you may need to download it for SQL Server 2008 R2, and how to do it in different ways. We have also covered some other topics that are relevant for SQL Server 2008 users, such as slipstreaming, setup hotfixes, and Windows Installer cache files. We hope that this article has helped you solve your SQL Server setup issues and improve your SQL Server performance and security.
Here are some tips or recommendations for SQL Server 2008 users:
Always keep your SQL Server updated with the latest service packs and cumulative updates to avoid known bugs and vulnerabilities.
Always backup your SQL Server databases and Windows Installer cache files before installing or upgrading SQL Server.
Always use a reliable source for downloading SQL Server installation media, service packs, cumulative updates, or setup hotfixes.
If you encounter any errors or warnings during SQL Server setup, check the setup log files for more details and possible solutions.
If you need any assistance or support with SQL Server setup or operation, contact Microsoft Support or visit the SQL Server forums or blogs.
FAQs
Here are some answers to some common questions about Sqlsupport Msi Download 2008 R2 19:
Q: What is the difference between Sqlsupport Msi and Sqlncli Msi?
A: Sqlsupport Msi is an installer package that contains the SQL Server setup support files, which are required for installing, upgrading, or removing SQL Server product features. Sqlncli Msi is an installer package that contains the SQL Server Native Client, which is a data access library that provides OLE DB and ODBC connectivity to SQL Server.
Q: Can I install Sqlsupport Msi on a computer that does not have SQL Server installed?
A: Yes, you can install Sqlsupport Msi on any computer that meets the system requirements for SQL Server 2008. However, installing Sqlsupport Msi alone will not enable you to use SQL Server features or tools. You need to install SQL Server or its components separately.
Q: Can I uninstall Sqlsupport Msi after I install or upgrade SQL Server?
A: No, you should not uninstall Sqlsupport Msi after you install or upgrade SQL Server. Uninstalling Sqlsupport Msi may cause problems with your SQL Server installation or operation. You should keep Sqlsupport Msi on your computer unless you want to remove all traces of SQL Server from your system.
Q: How can I check if I have the latest version of Sqlsupport Msi on my computer?
A: You can check the version of Sqlsupport Msi on your computer by following these steps:
Navigate to C:\Windows\Installer folder on your computer. This is a hidden system folder, so you may need to enable the option to show hidden files and folders in Windows Explorer.
Look for a file named Sqlsupport.msi. If you have multiple versions of SQL Server installed on your computer, you may see more than one file with this name.
Right-click on the file, select Properties, and then click on Details.
Check the Product Version field. This will show you the version of Sqlsupport Msi that corresponds to your SQL Server version and edition. For example, if you have SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 3 installed on your computer, the version of Sqlsupport Msi should be 10.50.6000. dcd2dc6462