Installing MSDE (VB.NET)

Hi,
I need to package and deploy my MSDE database with my application. How do I
do this? It needs to deploy, install, and I need to also install tables,
users, user rights and also possibly some sample data.
I can do an unattended install, but do I have to write a seperate program or
use osql/isql to run batch file/sql scripts to update the database?
Surely there's an automated method to "click-and-install"...?

Liddle Feesh
*fap fap fap fap*
<>< <>< <>< <>< ><>
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
My friend, there is no elegant way to do this.
Microsoft offers merge modules that will handle the installation for you. You can then use a CustomAction to attach a database or run SQL statementts to create a database. This isn't recommended because now YOU become responsible for creating a patch file
to patch the millions of security holes in MSDE. MSDE also uninstalls with your program under this scenario.
What I have ended up doing is programmatically shelling out to call the setup.exe program that is included with MSDE. I have created a program that looks similar to the Visual Studio .NET install where users can first click on a link to launch the SQL Ser
ver 2000 MSDE install, then install my application.
Microsoft has also created a gimpy MSDE/.NET Framework bootstrapper, but it is far from being stable. I personally think it's a piece of junk and wouldn't recommend it. *Supposedly*, if the next version of Visual Studio EVER ships, a generic bootstrapper
is supposed to be included that will allow chained .MSI installations. But until then, we're out of luck.
I recommend shelling out to the setup.exe program provided with MSDE. Good luck.
Rob Reagan
"Liddle Feesh" wrote:

> Hi,
> I need to package and deploy my MSDE database with my application. How do I
> do this? It needs to deploy, install, and I need to also install tables,
> users, user rights and also possibly some sample data.
> I can do an unattended install, but do I have to write a seperate program or
> use osql/isql to run batch file/sql scripts to update the database?
> Surely there's an automated method to "click-and-install"...?
>
> --
> Liddle Feesh
> *fap fap fap fap*
> <>< <>< <>< <>< ><>
> <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
>
>
|||Hi Rob,
I have been using the MSDE bootstrapper and have had quiet a few issues with it, like the installation just hangs many times, the MSDE instance needs to be reinstalled even if it is installed (a confirmed bug my Microsoft here), etc.. you mentioned you ar
e shelling out the exe yourself. I was just wondering what all parameters are you taking care of.. I mean In general what pointers/advise will you give to anyone who wants to do the same thing.
Thanks
dev
"Rob Reagan" wrote:

> My friend, there is no elegant way to do this.
> Microsoft offers merge modules that will handle the installation for you. You can then use a CustomAction to attach a database or run SQL statementts to create a database. This isn't recommended because now YOU become responsible for creating a patch fi
le to patch the millions of security holes in MSDE. MSDE also uninstalls with your program under this scenario.
> What I have ended up doing is programmatically shelling out to call the setup.exe program that is included with MSDE. I have created a program that looks similar to the Visual Studio .NET install where users can first click on a link to launch the SQL S
erver 2000 MSDE install, then install my application.
> Microsoft has also created a gimpy MSDE/.NET Framework bootstrapper, but it is far from being stable. I personally think it's a piece of junk and wouldn't recommend it. *Supposedly*, if the next version of Visual Studio EVER ships, a generic bootstrappe
r is supposed to be included that will allow chained .MSI installations. But until then, we're out of luck.[vbcol=seagreen]
> I recommend shelling out to the setup.exe program provided with MSDE. Good luck.
> Rob Reagan
> "Liddle Feesh" wrote:
|||Since I am using this as a remote database over the network, I'm setting DISABLENETWORKPROTOCOLS=0. I'm also setting the SAPWD, INSTANCENAME, and SECURITYMODE parameters.
Be forewarned that the MSDE installer is a great example of the half-baked software that Microsoft inflicts on the public. The uninstaller leaves garbage behind. While developing, you're going to have to do alot of removal of orphaned files and registry k
eys by hand before you can attempt a reinstall for the same named instance.
Be very careful when cleaning out your registry from orphaned MSDE keys. I zapped a few that I shouldn't have and was unable to reinstall MSDE, period. I've got to reformat my drive and reinstall Windows.
Rob
"dev_kh" wrote:

> Hi Rob,
> I have been using the MSDE bootstrapper and have had quiet a few issues with it, like the installation just hangs many times, the MSDE instance needs to be reinstalled even if it is installed (a confirmed bug my Microsoft here), etc.. you mentioned you
are shelling out the exe yourself. I was just wondering what all parameters are you taking care of.. I mean In general what pointers/advise will you give to anyone who wants to do the same thing.[vbcol=seagreen]
> Thanks
> dev
> "Rob Reagan" wrote:
file to patch the millions of security holes in MSDE. MSDE also uninstalls with your program under this scenario.[vbcol=seagreen]
Server 2000 MSDE install, then install my application.[vbcol=seagreen]
per is supposed to be included that will allow chained .MSI installations. But until then, we're out of luck.[vbcol=seagreen]
|||Oh My Goodness, I also had to manually delete the registry keys many times but no formatting so far. Thanks for your reply though. I was wondering more in lines with figuring out whether the MSDE installation went fine or not when you shell it out. Als
o do you do any logging of the MSDE installation..
Thanks again
"Rob Reagan" wrote:

> Since I am using this as a remote database over the network, I'm setting DISABLENETWORKPROTOCOLS=0. I'm also setting the SAPWD, INSTANCENAME, and SECURITYMODE parameters.
> Be forewarned that the MSDE installer is a great example of the half-baked software that Microsoft inflicts on the public. The uninstaller leaves garbage behind. While developing, you're going to have to do alot of removal of orphaned files and registry
keys by hand before you can attempt a reinstall for the same named instance.[vbcol=seagreen]
> Be very careful when cleaning out your registry from orphaned MSDE keys. I zapped a few that I shouldn't have and was unable to reinstall MSDE, period. I've got to reformat my drive and reinstall Windows.
> Rob
> "dev_kh" wrote:
u are shelling out the exe yourself. I was just wondering what all parameters are you taking care of.. I mean In general what pointers/advise will you give to anyone who wants to do the same thing.[vbcol=seagreen]
h file to patch the millions of security holes in MSDE. MSDE also uninstalls with your program under this scenario.[vbcol=seagreen]
QL Server 2000 MSDE install, then install my application.[vbcol=seagreen]
apper is supposed to be included that will allow chained .MSI installations. But until then, we're out of luck.[vbcol=seagreen]
|||I have had good luck shelling the setup.exe program. My only complaint there is that the uninstaller is so sloppy and leaves behind a bunch of keys and files. I do not log in my production program, only in my test environment. I have considered writing my
own custom uninstaller that shells to the windows uninstaller, then cleans up keys and files afterwards. The only disadvantage is that the user could bypass my customer uninstaller (accesible through the programs menu) and use the one in Add\Remove Progr
ams.
Rob
"dev_kh" wrote:

> Oh My Goodness, I also had to manually delete the registry keys many times but no formatting so far. Thanks for your reply though. I was wondering more in lines with figuring out whether the MSDE installation went fine or not when you shell it out. A
lso do you do any logging of the MSDE installation..[vbcol=seagreen]
> Thanks again
> "Rob Reagan" wrote:
ry keys by hand before you can attempt a reinstall for the same named instance.[vbcol=seagreen]
you are shelling out the exe yourself. I was just wondering what all parameters are you taking care of.. I mean In general what pointers/advise will you give to anyone who wants to do the same thing.[vbcol=seagreen]
tch file to patch the millions of security holes in MSDE. MSDE also uninstalls with your program under this scenario.[vbcol=seagreen]
SQL Server 2000 MSDE install, then install my application.[vbcol=seagreen]
trapper is supposed to be included that will allow chained .MSI installations. But until then, we're out of luck.[vbcol=seagreen]
|||Hi Rob,
Cheers for the reply (and the other guys too!) - I've heard Microsoft
released an MSDE Installer SDK in December 2003... might be worth a look
at?
It's pretty late and I've just got in - so I'll have to look at this
tomorrow!
cya later, chaps!

Liddle Feesh
*fap fap fap fap*
<>< <>< <>< <>< ><>
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Installing MSDE

I have almost finished developing an application that uses MSDE. I want to
now deploy MSDE with my app. I have the original SQL Server 2000 CD that
contains the MSDE setup files.
I understand that there has been a major upgrade to MSDE 2000 and that I
should use some sevice pack files to install MSDE. Do I download this
service pack (sql2desk.exe?), extract the files in there and copy them over
the original files? Or do I need to install using the original CD and then
upgrade the installation with the service pack stuff?
TIA,
Paul
hi Paul,
"Paul McTeigue" <paul_mcteigue@.msn.com> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:ePVutaLIEHA.348@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I have almost finished developing an application that uses MSDE. I want to
> now deploy MSDE with my app. I have the original SQL Server 2000 CD that
> contains the MSDE setup files.
> I understand that there has been a major upgrade to MSDE 2000 and that I
> should use some sevice pack files to install MSDE. Do I download this
> service pack (sql2desk.exe?), extract the files in there and copy them
over
> the original files? Or do I need to install using the original CD and then
> upgrade the installation with the service pack stuff?
you only have to use and deploy the content of the new sql2desk.exe, updated
at service pack 3a level..
hth
Andrea Montanari (Microsoft MVP - SQL Server)
http://www.asql.biz/DbaMgr.shtmhttp://italy.mvps.org
DbaMgr2k ver 0.7.0 - DbaMgr ver 0.53.0
(my vb6+sql-dmo little try to provide MS MSDE 1.0 and MSDE 2000 a visual
interface)
-- remove DMO to reply
sql

Installation of SQL Express from my MSI

I've written an application that needs to also deploy SQL Express. In the MSI for my application, I want to install SQL Express. The problem is that when I call sqlexpr.exe, I eventually get an error that it can't install because another instance of MSI is currently running (my instance). I've seen posts on doing silent installs of SQL Express by extracting the setup package and calling setup.exe directly with a modified settings file, but this still does not solve my problem that it will start up a new instance of MsiExec.exe.

I think that I need to do a nested install of the SQL Express MSI from my MSI. I've found several msi's in the setup subdirectory, but which do I needs to call, in what order, and how do I configure them to install the engine in my own named instance of SQL Express?

ThanksMichael,

You need to write a bootstrapper for your application because SQL Server Express is ultimately an MSI based installation and Windows Installer cannot run more than a single MSI at a given time - in other words, an MSI cannot call another MSI. Don't let the fact that SQL Server Express is wrapped in a self-extracting executable fool you. SQLEXPR.EXE expands into a setup.exe and several MSIs. Setup.exe is launched automatically which will then call each of the MSIs in serial fashion. We're working on a white paper that walks through exactly how to embed Express in a custom application but it's not quite ready yet.

In the mean time, you should expand the SQLEXPR.exe package to a folder using SQLEXPR.exe /X, you'll be prompted for a folder to expand to. Once the package has been expanded take a look at the template.ini file. This will give you a list of command line parameters you can use for installing Express. These can be passed directly into SQLEXPR.exe which will in turn pass them to Setup.exe. Passing the /qn switch will cause SQL Server Setup to run in fill quiet mode - no GUI.

Your command line should look something like "sqlexpr.exe /qn ADDLOCAL=SQL_Engine INSTANCENAME=Foobar"

I believe that Visual Studio has help information on creating a setup bootstrapper.

Good luck and keep your eyes open for the white paper - it'll be posted to MSDN.

Cheers,
Dan

Installation Issue of reporting services 2005

I have installed the SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition. The installation is
successful except i am unable to deploy reports from microsoft Visual Studio
2005.
It is giving following error
A connection could not be made to report server http://localhost/reportserver.
Additional Information
â'Unable to connect to Remote server (Microsoft.reporting
services.designer)â'.
The configuration of computer is
Dell NoteBook 16000,
Intel® Pentium 9(R) M Processor 1.60 GHz,
512 MB RAM
Operating System: XP with SP2
--
asharmaHi Asharma,
Welcome to use MSDN Managed Newsgroup!
From your descriptions, I understood you have installed SQL Server 2005
Reporting Services successfully but you are not able to deploy the reports.
If I have misunderstood your concern, please feel free to point it out.
Would you please help me narrow down this with the questions below?
1. Could you connect SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services via link
http://<machine name>/Reports
http://<machine name>/ReportServer
2. Is it possible for you to upload the rdl file via Report Manager?
(http://<machine name>/Reports)
Also, please make sure your have configured your Windows XP SP2 correctly
How to configure Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) for use with SQL Server
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841249/en-us
Sincerely yours,
Michael Cheng
Microsoft Online Partner Support
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