Cannot seem to get INSTALLSQLDATADIR to work for me

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Cannot seem to get INSTALLSQLDATADIR to work for me

tnk

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April 4, 2010 at 5:18 pm

#222742

I'm trying to install a default instance of sql server 2005 enterprise. I am working with a virtual instance of Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition. The virtualization software is VMWare ESX with vSphere 4. I have a C and a D drive, the D drive is intended to be for the data files and is network storage. I've tried using:
start setup.exe INSTALLSQLDATADIR=D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\
It throws some kind of error and fails. I suspect the problem is between the keyboard and the chair.
I am wondering if it would it be easier to just install normally to the C drive and then detach the system DB's and reatach them to the D drive data folder that I could just make manually? Would there be any actual difference if I do it that way?
Thanks for any help you can provide.

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Jeffrey Williams SSC Guru Points: 90252 More actions · Answer 1

Use the normal install process - when you have the option to select the Advanced button (bottom right of the form), select that button. Don't change where the program files will be installed - open the selection and change just the data files to the D:\ drive.

Finish the install. Once finished you will find the following directory: D:\MSSQL.x\MSSQL\...

All of the system databases, error logs, etc... will be placed on that drive location.

Jeffrey Williams
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Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 233860 More actions · Answer 2

what is the full command line you are using?

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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

tnk SSCrazy Points: 2613 More actions · Answer 3

Thanks for your responses. I am getting the following error when I attempt to switch the install path to the D drive.

This is despite the fact that I have domain admin rights and I added my credential into the administrators group on the server.

The system log also states pretty much the same thing in so many words:

"Product: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -- Error 1303. The installer has insufficient privileges to access this directory: D:\Program Files. The installation cannot continue. Log on as administrator or contact your system administrator."

Also I read on MSDN that there is some kind of parent-child relationship with some of these installation settings, implying possibly that if I put the data directory on the D drive, all of the instance aware files need to be on that D drive as well. Am I interpreting that correctly?

tnk SSCrazy Points: 2613 More actions · Answer 4

Yikes, my eyeballs lied to me. Usually the guy that builds the servers makes the data drive letter D and this time it's E and I failed to notice. This is the reason I was getting the error displayed above.

Originally the command I used was:

start setup.exe /INSTALLSQLDATADIR=D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA

But of course that too was incorrect as it's the wrong drive letter.