Installing MS SQL Server Engine

Hi everybody.
I was trying to install MS SQL Server Engine this morning. At the command prompt I typed setup SAPWD=password SECURITYMODE=SQL (where password was my password). After running the MSI I got the following error:

Product: Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine -- Setup failed to configure the server. Refer to the server error logs and setup error logs for more information.
The Event ID is 1013.
Can anybody tell me how to install this program. Thanks in advance for any help.

Try turning on the verbose logging (with the/L*v switch) when installing to see more information about the error you are receiving:

> setup.exeSAPWD=password SECURITYMODE=SQL /L*v C:\MSDE_setup.log

For reference, here are the installation instructions for MSDE:Installing Desktop Engine.sql

Installation/Connection problems with MS Desktop Engine

Actually, it appears to install fine. I used the command line parameters
setup SAPWD="strongpassword" SECURITYMODE=SQL as the instructions described.
I've tried with the double quotes and without. I've tried on a machine
running Windows 2000 and XP (home addition). I tried updating the XP
machine with XP service pack.
No matter what I try, it apperas to install fine. When I attenpt to connect
to the engine (through the ASP.Net Web Matrix), I select SQL Server
Authentication. I then enter "SA" (No quotes, I've tried both upper and
lower case) as the user and the strongpassword that I used as the parameter
when installing. Everytime I get the same message.
Unable to connect to the database server. SQL Server does not exist or
access denied. ConnectionOpen (Connect()).
I can tell the engine is running because its icon in the tray is running.
What am I missing?
Steve,
You may have installed with SA and strong password (Sql authentication) but I believe the install defaults to Windows authentication.
Follow the below to make sure ... (excerpt from KB-322336)
******
If you are not sure how to verify the authentication mode of your MSDE installation, you can check the corresponding registry entry. By default, the value of the Windows LoginMode registry subkey is set to 1 for Windows Authentication. When Mixed Mode authentication is enabled, this value is a 2.
a.. The location of the LoginMode subkey depends on whether you installed MSDE as the default MSDE instance or as a named instance. If you installed MSDE as the default instance, the LoginMode subkey is located in the following registry subkey:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\MSSqlserver\MSSqlServer\Lo ginMode
b.. If you installed MSDE as a named instance, the LoginMode subkey is located in the following registry subkey:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\%InstanceName%\MSSQLServer\LoginMode
NOTE: Before you switch authentication modes, you must set a sa password to avoid exposing a potential security hole
******
Hope this helps,
Tunji
"Steve Wash" <swash1@.home.com> wrote in message news:79GdnaCfS4T2AtbcRVn-tQ@.comcast.com...
Actually, it appears to install fine. I used the command line parameters
setup SAPWD="strongpassword" SECURITYMODE=SQL as the instructions described.
I've tried with the double quotes and without. I've tried on a machine
running Windows 2000 and XP (home addition). I tried updating the XP
machine with XP service pack.
No matter what I try, it apperas to install fine. When I attenpt to connect
to the engine (through the ASP.Net Web Matrix), I select SQL Server
Authentication. I then enter "SA" (No quotes, I've tried both upper and
lower case) as the user and the strongpassword that I used as the parameter
when installing. Everytime I get the same message.
Unable to connect to the database server. SQL Server does not exist or
access denied. ConnectionOpen (Connect()).
I can tell the engine is running because its icon in the tray is running.
What am I missing?

installation problem.. instance name?!

i tried installing MSDE with the command line: setup SAPWD=<password> SECURITYMODE=SQL and i get the following error: The instance name specified is invalid. what is it saying? can someone pls help me out? thanxI don't know but it might misinterpretate the securitymode=sql flag for an instancename? Or do already you have another instance of MSDE installed at your computer? In that case the next installation has to be named. Each installation is a new instance)
I installed MSDE with just the SAPWD flag, try that