Collations are groups of different character sets and sort orders that make SQL Server work for different regions and languages. The SQL Server 2005 installer provides you with the option to choose SQL Collations, which provides you with backward compatibility with previous versions of SQL Server. However, if you've opted to install Analysis Services, SQL collations can't be used for this service.
Microsoft recommends that you use Windows collations rather than SQL collations, unless you have backward compatibility issues to address. Windows collations provide you with consistent string comparisons for both Unicode and non-Unicode text.
For this example installation, I'm going to use the Latin1_general collation designator (Figure J) and sort order for both SQL and the Analysis services.
Figure J |
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| If you have backward compatibility issues, use the SQL collations option instead. |
If you chose to install Reporting Services, you have two installation options on the next screen (Figures K and L). First, you can install Reporting Services with default options, or you can choose to install without configuring it. I'm going to install Reporting Services with the default options.
Figure K |
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| Click the Details button for information about the installation options. |
Figure L |
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| These are the default options for Reporting Services. |
A new option in SQL Server 2005 allows you to share errors and usage information with Microsoft. The disclaimer (Figure M) indicates that personal information may incidentally be sent to Microsoft but won't be used for anything. It's up to you to decide whether or not you believe it.
Figure M |
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| Do you want to share error and usage information with Microsoft? |
The last screen before SQL Server 2005 actually starts installing, the Ready to Install screen (Figure N), provides you with a short overview of what you're installing. I do wish that some of the options that we selected during the wizard would show here, too, such as collation selection. Click the Install button to commence installation.
Figure N |
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| The summary screen is pretty bare. |
The Setup Progress window keeps you appraised of exactly where the installer is with regard to each individual component.
Figure O |
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| The Setup Progress window is a nice addition. |
This was a fairly simple overview of the SQL Server 2005 installation process and is not designed to show every possible installation scenario, but rather to give you a look at the overall process to help you plan your own installation.






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1
doug gorman - 19/01/06
why did you write this? does sql server 2005 not ship with this same info, or is this easier to understand? or?...
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2
TCBrown - 28/02/06
if you want to help people avoid pitfalls you should mention that if they choose windows authentication the setup program randomly generate an sa password and they should change it to something they know as soon as the installation is done, in case of emergency need.
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3
Harbhajan Biran - 10/10/06
Would you install IIS on a SQL server cluster build?
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4
Jennilyn - 06/06/07
how can I install if I already download the Microsoft SQL 2005?
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5
sql master - 10/08/07
the article is good.
very useful and really a practical approach....
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6
Scott - 15/08/07
I don't get it. This is the absolute basics / obvious stuff. What pitfalls have we avoided other than perhaps mentioning dot-net compatibility risks? It would be really nice to know how to work around any of the components failing to install....as they all seem to do a some point depending on unique env constraints.
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7
Scott - 15/08/07
I don't get it. This is the absolute basics / obvious stuff. What pitfalls have we avoided other than perhaps mentioning dot-net compatibility risks? It would be really nice to know how to work around any of the components failing to install....as they all seem to do a some point depending on unique env constraints.
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8
Scott - 15/08/07
I don't get it. This is the absolute basics / obvious stuff. What pitfalls have we avoided other than perhaps mentioning dot-net compatibility risks? It would be really nice to know how to work around any of the components failing to install....as they all seem to do a some point depending on unique env constraints.
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9
Scott - 15/08/07
I don't get it. This is the absolute basics / obvious stuff. What pitfalls have we avoided other than perhaps mentioning dot-net compatibility risks? It would be really nice to know how to work around any of the components failing to install....as they all seem to do a some point depending on unique env constraints.
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10
David Fisher - 15/08/07
This simply shows the successful installation process, which one sees first-hand when installing the program. It offers nothing useful. Why not address the common errors that the installer makes, such as stopping dead when it purports to find a conflicting existing installation that is not actually there? Only when problems occur will the user require assistance beyond what appears in the installer itself.
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11
George - 16/08/07
I was hoping for an explanation on the difference between 'Local System', Local Service', 'Network...', etc., drop down box options.
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12
George - 16/08/07
I was hoping for an explanation on the difference between 'Local System', Local Service', 'Network...', etc., drop down box options.
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13
George - 16/08/07
I was hoping for an explanation on the difference between 'Local System', Local Service', 'Network...', etc., drop down box options.
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14
SqlDba - 16/08/07
Complete waste of my time
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15
Joshua Perry - 16/08/07
Wow! I didn't know how to click next that many times! This is a totally worthless article and the title is very misleading.
You didn't even hit some common pitfalls since you used the service account instead of a domain account, you didn't remember to reset the sa password since you used windows authentication, and you installed reporting services without IIS. You also installed all the services on the same server instead of putting reporting services on a web server and analysis services on it's own server and you didn't set up MSDTC so that integration services would work properly. What about changing the default ports and configuring a static port for integration services since most of the world blocks dynamic ports on their firewalls. Those are some common pitfalls.
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16
SqlDBA2 - 16/08/07
Nothing useful. But at least the author can claim he's "published" on the web now.
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17
mcullet2 - 16/08/07
Hi,
Followed this to the letter - problem is SQL Server 2005 doesn't seem to play fair with Visual Studio Pro 2005. I cannot get the default website to work at all. MS will help so long as you shell out several hundred dollars to fix what was broken.
"An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)"
I'm just starting out - would truly love to be able to get this to work (and understand why it is not working) so I can move onto interesting things.
Stuck :(
Any suggestions?
Kindest regards,
Mike
18
Gaz - 20/08/07
Well this doesn't help with anything really. You are just showing a default install, pressing ok and next lots of times and letting it install.
No pitfalls here.
Wasted article.
Give me the 5 minutes of my life back that I wasted while reading it!!
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19
Lee P - 27/12/07
The comment Joshua made was more useful than the article it's self
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20
priya - 21/01/08
Thank you...your article was very helpful...
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21
Patrick - 01/02/08
What a terrible article.Thanks for going over teh default install you idiot.
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22
astonished - 11/08/08
Amazing article, you are a guru..
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23
Nils - 19/08/08
very useful stuff, especially thats about collations. Didnt know that !
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24
Elysa - 19/08/08
Hi - Thanks for the documentation. Microsoft seems intent to obfuscate its software...what was once simple and obvious is now completely counter-intuitive and confounding. Installing this software is no different as it is there is no obivous choice for "Install Microsift SQL Server"...DER! If you don't want all the crap, you are left to ' guess' at which option to choose. It is SO ABSURD!
We just installed SQL Standard using your guide, and guess what.... No SQL Server Management Studio installed. FFS. Would love to throttle who ever designed this interface.
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25
Dapamoga.Org - 11/05/09
www.Dapamoga.Org - charity in Belarus
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26
Srini - 21/05/09
Hi,
Im receiving the following error while installing SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition.
Error 29528. The setup has encountered an unexpected error while Updating Installed Files. The error is: Fatal error during installation.
Can anyone help me on this?
Thanks in advance for the help.
27
" or 1=1 -- - 31/07/09
" or 1=1 -
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28
Karen - 09/11/09
I was about to close this worthless page until i read all your funny comments :) i had fun haha
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29
Vicki - 26/03/10
How funny, Scott - I used this guide to help me sort out some of the options as I set up a new sql server, didn't realize until I finished that the advice came from an old co-worker. Thanks again for your help!
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