Error installing SIM

[Brian Van Donselaar]

During the SIM installation I click on the install MSDE box. The MSDE installation runs for awhile and then returns the error message "MSDE 2000 SP3 installation failed with exit code 1603"

I have attempted the installation on two machines--one running Win XP SP1, one running Windows 2000 SP4. I get the same results on both machines.

Does anyone have any solution to this problem? Thanks.

[Eduardo Barretto]

In summary, you're looking for problems with:

- SYSTEM account permissions on the target;
- Free disk space on the target;
- Bad file download (file length, proxy configuration);
- Patch installation itself (bad/missing files, or signature issues);

Details
First, check the SYSTEM account permissions for the %SYSTEMROOT% directory, ie., WINNT or WINDOWS, on the target system. Because the Installer Service runs using "LocalSystem" credentials, restrictive permissions on the SYSTEM account can prevent the installation from even getting started (see Note).

Note: Patches are downloaded to Master Agent download directory, then pushed to %SYSTEMROOT%\ue_installs on the target machine, and installed (executed). Incorrect SYSTEM permissions disrupts this process.

Second, you may get this error if you don't have enough space on the target system. For W2K SP4 for example, you can need hundreds of Megabytes of free space to support service-pack transfers, the uninstall folder for backing out the service pack, and temporary work space. Anecdotal evidence has shown the need for as much as 800MB of free space for large service packs.

Third, the service pack or patch download or deployment may have become corrupted (something happened during the installation phase). Please try re-downloading the Service Pack or patch and re-deploying. Check if the file size of the update in the download directory is correct, which may require some research on Microsofts web site. If you have a 3KB file (roughly), this may indicate a bad download due to proxy setting problems (maybe a password changed). If you have a larger file, make sure its the right size... a 47MB service-pack looks big, except when its supposed to be 127MB! Also, see the next (fourth) item for re-deploying in "non-quiet" mode to see what is failing.

Fourth, you could be having corrupted or missing file problems, or "Digital Signature" problems with a Service-Pack or update. You can UNcheck the "quiet install" option, logon to the problem system using the account specified in UpdateEXPERT to access that system, and answer the dialogs that are displayed. One of them will relate to the error that is causing the fatal installation (most typically a corrupted or missing file.

[Povl Scheel-Bech]

CAUSE
This issue occurs when one or both of the following conditions are true:
There is a file named Program in your SystemDrive folder.
There is a file named Common in your ProgramFiles folder.

[Jason Sarre]

Also had this when the SQL Directories had been left behind from previous installs.
Uninstall any previous copies of SQL (MSDE or full version) then check Program Files for anything with SQL in it and remove it.

[alymarcor]

This recomendation is very good. I already installed an MSDE and the directory of SQL still is in Program Files direcotory.. I removed that directory and the installer functioned.

alymarcor