SQL Server Express – How to Install SQL Server 2017 Express in Quiet Simple Mode

sql serversql-server-2017sql-server-express

I need to install SQL Server 2017 Express with as little user interaction as possible. I am using the SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe setup file that I found a Microsoft download for. The installer I am currently using is the 2017 CORE one linked to from here (I have no idea how people find official Microsoft downloads for anything!)

Currently I can do exactly what I want with 2012 by using the following parameters:

/FEATURES="SQL, Tools" /QS /IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS /ADDCURRENTUSERASSQLADMIN=1 /ACTION="Install" /ERRORREPORTING=0 /INSTANCENAME="MyDB"

In 2012 this works great, however I am trying to now do the same in 2017. The problem I have is that it creates an extraction folder called "SQLEXPR_x64_ENU" in the same directory as the install. This is not desirable.

Question: Is there anyway to prevent this extraction folder from being used, so that it functions that same as the 2012 setup?

Alternatively, one of the following solutions would be acceptable:

Allow the user to select the extraction location – like it does with default install (non-quiet) – but still ensure /QS mode for the rest of the setup
Have the extraction folder automatically deleted after setup (it wouldn't be so bad if it cleaned up it's mess after it was finished)

Best Answer

Why not create a PowerShell script to start the install. After the install is finished:

verify success (possibly with the return code or parsing the output log)
verify the existence of the extraction folder
if there are no errors delete the extraction folder

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Sql-server – Installing SQL Server 2008 Express Edition in quiet mode issue

I believe you must specify the full path to the file, e.g. C:\Temp\Configuration.ini - otherwise SQL Server setup tries to find it in the extraction folder for the setup, which is typically C:\some_big_long_gui\.

You also have some configuration options (such as IAcceptSQLServerLicenseTerms) which are not valid for the edition you're using (that one specifically was added in SQL Server 2008 R2). I was able to install SQL Server 2008 Express successfully using the following configuration file (I removed unnecessary SSAS / SSRS / SSIS options for Express, all the verbose comments, and the invalid entries):

[SQLServer2008]
INSTANCEID="SQLEXPRESS"
ACTION="Install"
FEATURES=SQLENGINE
HELP="False"
INDICATEPROGRESS="False"
X86="False"
ERRORREPORTING="False"
SQMREPORTING="False"
INSTANCENAME="SQLEXPRESS"
SQLSVCSTARTUPTYPE="Automatic"
ENABLERANU="True"
SQLCOLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"
SQLSVCACCOUNT="NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE"
SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS="BUILTIN\ADMINISTRATORS"
SECURITYMODE="SQL"
ADDCURRENTUSERASSQLADMIN="True"
SAPWD="mds134"
TCPENABLED="0"
NPENABLED="0"
BROWSERSVCSTARTUPTYPE="Disabled"

And the following command line:

SQLEXPR_x86_ENU.exe /QS /ConfigurationFile="C:\Temp\Configuration.ini"

You will have to instruct your users to specify the path for this. You can make this an argument to your bootstrapper, but I don't know of a way to have setup find your configuration file without specifying an explicit path for it. If you tell your users to copy both the exe and the ini file to the same folder, I'm sure your wrapper could figure out the command line necessary. Otherwise your users will have to lend a hand in determining the path.

Another option would be to just use a massive command line instead of using a configuration file at all. This seems to be two less steps in the setup process anyway (ensuring that the ini file has been copied and determining where it is). Unless the purpose is to allow users to change some arguments using the config file. I think those should perhaps be in a config file you deploy with the wrapper instead of the config file for Express.

If you're building a new application to deploy SQL Server, why aren't you using SQL Server 2012? I'm not sure it overcomes the configuration file issue (this page seems to imply it isn't required, but I was not successful with 2008 or with 2012), but at least you'll be using a much more recent version, with more features and a longer support sunset, more predictable command-line arguments (I did not expect them to change between 2008 and 2008 R2), and less chance that a database will be too modern for the version of the engine installed.

Sql-server – Couldn’t install SQL Server 2012 on machine with Windows 7 SP1, VS 2010 SP1

Here's the troubleshooting options I'd try:

Disable antivirus. Man, I hate saying this, but I've seen issues where antivirus took too long to scan a file, and it caused installation problems.
Re-download the installation media. I know you've seen other users run this same setup and it's worked, but I've seen enough corrupt downloads that I would try this anyway. It doesn't cost you anything.
If D is a network share (a mapped drive), copy the installation files locally before you start.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Sql-server – Installing SQL Server 2008 Express Edition in quiet mode issue

Sql-server – Couldn’t install SQL Server 2012 on machine with Windows 7 SP1, VS 2010 SP1

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