BUG: Service Pack 5 and 5a Setup May Fail Depending on SQLPath

ID: Q219063

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5 Service Pack 5 and 5a

BUG #: 18591 (SQLBUG_65)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

If the SQL Server home directory is under a parent directory, and if the length of the SQL Server directory name is one character longer than its parent directory, SQL Server 6.5 Service Pack 5 and Service Pack 5a Setup will fail with the following message:

Setup initialization could not be successfully completed. cfgchar.exe could not be executed. Please check the relevant .OUT file.

However, no relevant .OUT file will exist.

WORKAROUND

If such a SQL Server directory path exists, you can work around this problem by making a change to the registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

Use the Registry Editor to manually add the backslash ("\") character at the end of SQLPath on the following registry key value before running Service Pack 5 or 5a setup:


   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Setup\SQLPath

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SQL Server version 6.5 Service Pack 5 and 5a.

MORE INFORMATION

For example, Service Pack 5 or 5a Setup would fail on all of the following directories because the subdirectory is one character longer than the parent directory:

c:\dbmssys\mssqlsys

c:\abcd\mssql

d:\abc\abcd

c:\abcde\abcdef

Additional query words: sp sp5 sp5a

Keywords : SSrvInst SSrvISQL
Version : winnt:6.5 Service Pack 5 and 5a
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug