How to: View and Read SQL Server Setup Log Files
Logging for SQL Server Setup has changed in this release.
Each execution of Setup creates log files are created with a new timestamped log folder at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\. The time-stamped log folder name format is YYYYMMDD_hhmmss. When Setup is run in an unattended mode, the logs are created at % temp%\sqlsetup*.log. All files in the logs folder are archived into the Log*.cab file in their respective log folder.
A typical Setup request goes through three execution phases:
Global rules text
Component update
User-requested action
In each phase, Setup generates detail and summary logs with additional logs created as appropriate. Setup is called at least three times per user-requested Setup action.
Datastore files contain a snapshot of the state of all configuration objects being tracked by the Setup process, and are useful for troubleshooting configuration errors. XML file dumps are created for datastore objects for each execution phase. They are saved in their own log subfolder under the time-stamped log folder, as follows:
Datastore_GlobalRules
Datastore_ComponentUpdated
Datastore
The following sections describe SQL Server Setup log files.
Summary Text
Overview
This file shows the SQL Server components that were detected during Setup, the operating system environment, command-line parameter values if they are specified, and the overall status of each MSI/MSP that was executed.
The log is organized into the following sections:
An overall summary of the execution
Properties and the configuration of the computer where SQL Server Setup was run
SQL Server product features previously installed on the computer
Description of the installation version and installation package properties
Runtime input settings that are provided during install
Location of the configuration file
Details of the execution results
Global rules
Rules specific to the installation scenario
Failed rules
Location of the rules report file
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\.
To find errors in the summary text file, search the file by using the "error" or "failed" keywords.
Summary_engine-base_YYYYMMDD_HHMMss.txt
Overview
The summary_engine base file is similar to the summary file and is generated during the main workflow.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\.
Summary_engine-base_YYYYMMDD_HHMMss_ComponentUpdate.txt
Overview
The component update summary log file is similar to the summary file and is generated during the component update workflow.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\.
Summary_engine-base_20080503_040551_GlobalRules.txt
Overview
The global rules summary log file is similar to the summary file generated during the global rules workflow.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\.
Detail.txt
Overview
Detail.txt is generated for the main workflow such as install or upgrade, and provides the details of the execution. The logs in the file are generated based on the time when each action for the installation was invoked, and show the order in which the actions were executed, and their dependencies.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\Detail.txt.
If an error occurs during the Setup process, the exception or error are logged at the end of this file. To find the errors in this file, first examine the end of the file followed by a search of the file for the “error” or “exception” keyworkds.
Detail_ComponentUpdate.txt
Overview
The Detail_ComponentUpdate.txt file is generated for the component update workflow and is similar to Detail.txt.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\.
Detail_GlobalRules.txt
Overview
Detail_GlobalRules.txt is generated for the global rules execution and is similar to Detail.txt.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\.
MSI log files
Overview
The MSI log files provide details of the installation package process. They are generated by the MSIEXEC during the installation of the specified package.
Types of MSI log files:
<Feature>_<Architecture>_<Interation>.log
<Feature>_<Architecture>_<Language>_<Interation>.log
<Feature>_<Architecture>_<Interation>_<workflow>.log
Location
The MSI log files are located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\<Name>.log.
At the end of the file is a summary of the execution which includes the success or failure status and properties. To find the error in the MSI file, search for “value 3” and usually the errors can be found close to the string.
ConfigurationFile.ini
Overview
The configuration file contains the input settings that are provided during installation. It can be used to restart the installation without having to enter the settings manually. However, passwords for the accounts, PID, and some parameters are not saved in the configuration file. The settings can be either added to the file or provided by using the command line or the Setup user interface. For more information, see How to: Install SQL Server 2008 Using a Configuration File.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\.
SystemConfigurationCheck_Report.htm
Overview
The system configuration check report contains a short description for each executed rule, and the execution status.
Location
It is located at %programfiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<YYYYMMDD_HHMM>\.