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Troubleshoot SQL Server installation errors

Original product version:   SQL Server
Original KB number:   2449398

Summary

This article helps you resolve common SQL Server installation errors that stop SQL Server Setup before it can finish. These errors can occur when the installation media is damaged or the installation source is corrupted, and they appear either in the SQL Server Setup wizard or in the SQL Server Setup log files. Common examples include Error 2337, The cabinet file 'Sql.cab' required for this installation is corrupt and cannot be used, and Setup.rll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Use the resolutions in this article to replace or repair the installation source, and then rerun Setup.

Symptoms

When you try to install Microsoft SQL Server, you receive one or more of the following error messages or experience one or more of the following symptoms. Additionally, you can't continue the setup.

Error messages that appear in the SQL Server Setup wizard

The system cannot open the device or file specified.

Setup.rll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error.

The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this package.

Setup.exe badimage.

Error occurred during the login process due to bad media.

The cabinet file 'Sql.cab' required for this installation is corrupt and cannot be used.

Error reading from file

You might also experience one of the following symptoms:

  • You can't select the 64-bit installation.
  • Some components are missing on the Select Component page of Setup.

Note

Installation of SQL Server 2022 (16.x) is supported on x64 processors only. For more information, see Hardware and software requirements for SQL Server 2022.

Error messages in the SQL Server Setup log files

Error 2337

SQL Server installation failed.

Network error occurred while attempting to read from the file.

The ENU localization is not supported by this SQL Server Media.

Could not find the Database Engine startup handle (Summary.txt file)

Source for file 'p76pctiy.dll' is uncompressed (sql_engine_core_shared)

You might also see the following error message in Event Viewer:

Failed to initialize SQLSQM timer.

Note

For more information about SQL Server Setup log files, see View and read SQL Server Setup log files.

Cause

This problem might occur for one of the following reasons:

  • The installation media is damaged.
  • The installation source is corrupted.

Solution

To resolve the problem, use one of the following methods.

Download the SQL Server installation media again

Download the SQL Server image again from the original location, and then rerun the Setup program.

Install from a local drive instead of a network location

If you installed SQL Server over a computer network, install it again from a local drive, and then rerun the Setup program.

Rename the Setup.rll file

  1. Open File Explorer.

  2. Locate and select the resources\1033 folder under the Setup Bootstrap folder for your SQL Server version. The path resembles the following one, where <nnn> is the SQL Server version number and <release folder> is the folder for the release that you're installing:

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Setup Bootstrap\<release folder>\resources\1033

    For example, <nnn> is 160 for SQL Server 2022 (16.x) and 150 for SQL Server 2019 (15.x). For the version numbers of other releases, see File locations for default and named instances of SQL Server.

  3. Right-click setup.rll, and then select Rename.

    Screenshot that shows the Rename option for the Setup.rll file in File Explorer.

  4. Enter setup.rll.old, and then press Enter.

  5. Rerun the Setup program.

Change the operating system settings for localized SQL Server versions

If you use a localized version of SQL Server, you can change the operating system settings to support localized versions. For more information about how to change the operating system settings, see Local language versions in SQL Server.

Important

Installations of different language versions of SQL Server instances on the same computer aren't supported.

What to do if SQL Server Setup still fails

The error messages in this article can have causes other than damaged media. If the previous methods don't resolve the problem, use the following resources to continue troubleshooting: