SQL Server Installation Error: Rule "SQL Server 2005 Express tools" failed - RESOLVED

Scenario

• I have a VMWare with Windows 2008 Server, running MS SQL 2005.
• The requirement was to install MS SQL 2008 version in the same VM.
• While installing MS SQL 2008, I chose all the features (DB Engine, Analysis Services, Reporting Services, Business Intelligence & All Client Tools)
• The connection to these servers is done from the host system.

Problem

Since MS SQL 2005 was already installed, the installation wizard failed at the Installation rules section, with the following error

Possible Solutions

Solution #1

1. Go to Add Remove Programs and uninstall MS SQL 2005 client tools
2. I want the client tools of MS SQL 2005, as I am using it for another project demo

Solution #2

To avoid the process of uninstalling, we need to change certain registry keys.

1. Open Run Menu and type regedit.
2. It will open Registry Editor
3. Now go to following location.
1. (32Bit) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Microsoft > Microsoft SQL Server > 90
2. (64Bit) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Wow6432Node > Microsoft > Microsoft SQL Server > 90
4. ** Remove Registry Key 90 which maps to MS SQL 2005. There is a folder and key generated for compatibility. If my database should be made compatible with MS SQL 2005 it should have a compatibility code of 90, for MS SQL 2008 it should be 100 and so on. The standard values are given below

• 90 = SQL Server 2005 
• 100 = SQL Server 2008 
• 110 = SQL Server 2012 
• 120 = SQL Server 2014
• 130 = SQL Server 2016 Community Technology Preview 2 (CTP2)
• ** If you are not comfortable to delete the key from the registry, try renaming it. If installation goes on well, you can delete it.

Solution #3

For me the above solutions did not make too much difference, as I was using a VMware for installation of SQL Server 2008.

I decided, to finally not add the client components of SQL Server 2008 as there is some dependency on SQL Server 2005 client tools.

The final attempt was just install server components on the VMware and install Client tools in the host machine.

This method worked well for me.

In a lot of cases, Solution #2 works absolutely fine.

# Option 4

It is also suggested (This was what I saw in msdn discussions) while installing two versions of MS SQL Server, 

to keep the installation & data base directories different.

Although this trick did not work for me, I do not suggest this as a solution

Hope you find one of the above solutions useful

   

VM Error (Solved): This virtual machine appears to be in use. press the "Take Ownership" button to obtain ownership of it.

How did I bump into it?

Windows updates were done and my system restarted. The connected VMs crashed during the reboot.

This is common, and will happen whenever the system is abruptly shutdown or the host machine crashes.

When you attempt to re-connect to your VM after restart, an error message is thrown as below

This virtual machine appears to be in use.If this virtual machine is already in use, press the "Cancel" button to avoid damaging it. If this virtual machine is not in use, press the "Take Ownership" button to obtain ownership of it.

Solution: (Windows) 

1. Locate your virtual machine files (.vmdk) there would be a folder for lock files. Lock files have the extension .lck.
2. Delete the lck file. Try starting the VM.

Significance of lock files [Thanks to info on www.vmware.com]

• When a VM is started lock files are created. These files are created so that consistency is maintained on virtual disks considering the case of multiple VMs and hence multiple reads and writes.

• When a VM is powered off in a routine manner the lock files are also deleted. In case it is not powered off properly, a stale lock will be maintained to protect the VMDK file. When the VM is started / resumed again, the stale lock will be removed.

• To make sure no other VM is accessing the lock file, the following conditions are checked.

• The lock was created on the same host where the VM is running

• The process that created the lock is not running

• If the above conditions are satisfied, the stale lock is safely removed. But if one of the conditions is false, an error dialog is displayed saying the VM cannot be powered on / resumed.

• In such cases, if one is sure, the lock file can be deleted, to resume the VM.

Hope this helps.