Upgrading software can sometimes be a challenging task, especially when dealing with compatibility issues between different versions. In this blog post, we will discuss the process of installing SQL Server 2008 R2 on Windows Server 2012 R2 and address some common errors that may occur during the installation.
Step 1: Slipstream Installation
One of the first issues you may encounter is an error indicating that a 2003 patch is not installed. To resolve this, you will need to slipstream install Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Service Pack 2 (SP2) for SQL Server 2008 R2. Here are the steps to follow:
- Copy your original SQL Server 2008 R2 source media to a new folder, for example, C:\SQLServer2008R2_SP1.
- Download the SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 packages from the official Microsoft website.
- Extract each of the SQL Server 2008 SP1 packages to the folder C:\SQLServer2008R2_SP1\SP.
- Copy the Setup.exe file from the SP extracted location to the original source media location using the robocopy command.
- Copy all files (excluding the Microsoft.SQL.Chainer.PackageData.dll) from C:\SQLServer2008R2_SP1\SP\ to C:\SQLServer2008R2_SP1\ to update the original files using the robocopy command.
- Determine if you have a DefaultSetup.INI file at the following locations: C:\SQLServer2008R2_SP1\x86, C:\SQLServer2008R2_SP1\x64, and C:\SQLServer2008R2_SP1\ia64. If not, create one with the specified content and copy it to the respective locations.
- Run setup.exe as you normally would to start the installation process.
Step 2: Fixing Cluster Service Verification Error
If you encounter a cluster service verification error during the installation, you can easily fix it by opening a PowerShell window and running the command “add-windowsfeature RSAT-Clustering-AutomationServer”. This will resolve the issue and allow you to proceed with the installation.
It’s important to note that while it is generally recommended to upgrade your operating system when upgrading SQL Server, there may be situations where it is not feasible due to cost or other constraints. In such cases, following the steps outlined above can help you successfully install SQL Server 2008 R2 on Windows Server 2012 R2.
We hope this blog post has provided you with a helpful guide for installing SQL Server 2008 R2 on Windows Server 2012 R2. If you encounter any other errors or have any interesting fixes to share, we would love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment below.