Years ago I created an InstallShield (InstallScript) installer for some software that I've maintained over the years.  While the installer has been run countless times (successfully, I might add), I recently witnessed the following error message:

An error (-5006 : 0x80070002) has occurred while running the setup.

Please make sure that you have finished any previous setup and closed other applications.

This usually happens after installing a related, but completely stand-alone and distinct product.  After a reboot (having supposed that the previous setup didn't completely finish) we get the same error message.  It turns out, that the error would occur whether or not the previous application had been installed.

Well, long story story short, I figured out that the reason this error message was cropping up was because the software was being installed on a Terminal Server.  In order to install some (not all) software on a Terminal Server, you must first put the server in Install mode, then run the installer (via the Control Panel), and then put the server back into its default Execute mode:

1. From the Command Prompt, type the following command:  change user /install.
2. Install the software via Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel.
3. When complete, type change user /execute from the command prompt.

While I'm not a systems guy, this leads me to wonder why I had to do this for my installer (which I wrote with InstallScript) but I don't for other installers.  Perhaps there's a switch I can set or a script I can invoke that will do this automatically?  I must investigate.

In my development environment, I like to use SQL Express rather than the full-featured SQL Server editions mostly because its physical and memory footprints are smaller and its background processing is lighter, but also for support of User Instances.  I don't like to have a bunch of extraneous things running in the background that I'll rarely, if ever, use.  Using SQL Express, however, does come at a price.  There are a few features of SQL Server that don't get installed with it, most notably the SQL Profiler.

If you're like me and want to use SQL Express in development but also need the diagnostic tools like the Profiler, you can make it work.

1. If you already have SQL Express installed, uninstall it and all SQL Express-related items.
2. From the SQL Server disc, install just the Management Tools - Basic and Management Tools - Complete.  If you need other features like Integration Services, Notification Services, etc, you'll need to install them now as well.
3. Install SQL Express.

That's all there is to it.  All you need to remember is to install the Management Tools from the SQL Server discs first and you should be good to go! :)

Come join us tonight at the Utah .NET User Group meeting.  We're excited to have Mike Erickson come and talk to us about the up-and-coming Visual Studio 2010.

Date: Tonight, Thursday, February 12th, 2009
Time: 6:00 PM
Place: Neumont University 3rd Floor (10701 South River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT)

We are pleased to have TEKSystems sponsor this month's meeting.

Also, don't forget that we gather after the meeting for fun, food, and friendship at the neighboring Denny's after the meeting.  Please set aside the time and join us!  See you there :)