SQL Server 2005 Install Woes

Just trying to install SQL 2005 on a Windows Server 2003 virtual machine and I get the following error.

Running: InstallToolsAction.10 at: 2006/6/19 9:2:22
Error: Action "InstallToolsAction.10" threw an exception during execution. Error information reported during run:
Target collection includes the local machine.
Fatal Exception caught while installing package: "10"
Error Code: 0x80070002 (2)
Windows Error Text: The system cannot find the file specified. Source File Name: sqlchaining\sqlprereqpackagemutator.cpp

Compiler Timestamp: Tue Aug 9 01:14:20 2005
Function Name: sqls::SqlPreReqPackageMutator::modifyRequest
Source Line Number: 196

---- Context -----------------------------------------------
sqls::InstallPackageAction::perform

WinException caught while installing package. : 1603
Error Code: 0x80070643 (1603)
Windows Error Text: Fatal error during installation. Source File Name: packageengine\installpackageaction.cpp
Compiler Timestamp: Fri Jul 1 01:28:25 2005
Function Name: sqls::InstallPackageAction::perform
Source Line Number: 167

---- Context -----------------------------------------------
sqls::InstallPackageAction::perform

This helpful KB article advise me that the installation files have to be in specific folders. These two folders must be under the same level of a folder or the root folder of a drive. The names of these folders must be exactly Servers and Tools. The Servers folder contains all the files that are required to install major SQL Server 2005 components, such as database engine. The Tools folder contains tools components and Books Online for SQL Server 2005.

Handy information to know. Would have been helpful in the setup documentation, then I wouldn't have wasted my time.

We live again ...

After screwing up my Community Server blog so much that I only had to look sideways to get an ASP.Net error, I thought I'd better go with something a bit easier for me to manage.

I mean I am a DBA first and a hack of a developer second :)

It only took me an hour or two to setup this blog (including hunting down a suitable template) on Blogger.com and it publishes the content across to my own website. How cool is that?

In the coming weeks I'll port my old posts from my viewable, but not editable, blog and clean out all the Community Server stuff.

SQL Server 2005 Downloads

Bunch of downloads for SQL Server 2005. I've got a feeling we'll see a number of these updates. Nearly 5 months after the release and Books Online still isn't complete!!

SQL Server 2005 Books Online

SQL Server 2005 Feature pack

SQL Server 2005 Samples and Sample Databases

SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 1

Why Can't I view all the logs in SQL 2005 Log Viewer ??

What I thought would be a cool feature in SQL Server 2005 is the Log Viewer.
A little way down the track I'm begining to be very disillusioned. Take a look at the following screenshoots and see how where you open the Log Viewer from seems to affect what you can select to view.
#1 - Under Management folder, right-clicking Database Mail and choosing 'View Database Mail Log' presents me with the following.
Database Mail Log
Job History Log
Maintenance Plan Log
SQL Agent Logs
Windows Event Logs (Note: Even though we're running Windows Server 2003 it's still Windows NT Event Logs)
No SQL Server Error Logs are available fior viewing

Log Viewer #2 Under SQL Server Agent\Error Logs, double-clicking one of the logs presents me with the following.
Database Mail Log
SQL Agent Logs
Windows Event Logs
No SQL Server Error Logs are available fior viewing
No Job History Logs are available fior viewing
No Maintenance Plan Logs are available fior viewing

Log Viewer #3 Under Managment\SQL Server Logs, double-clicking one of the logs presents me with the following.
Database Mail Log
SQL Agent Logs
SQL Server Logs
Windows Event Logs
No Job History Logs are available fior viewing
No Maintenance Plan Logs are available fior viewing

Now this is a pretty poor showing for a release product. Much evidence of rushing out the door to meet a deadline. Hopefully these "glitches" will be recitified with coming service packs and make the toolset actually usable.

SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio Rant

Can someone answer this simple question for me?

If we are meant to perform development tasks in the new SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio, whay can't we create a database project?

When I try to open my database project from Visual Studio.Net 2003 I get told

"The application for project 'blah' is not installed"

Surely a development tool targeted at database technologies has a database project that allows me to develop stored procedures, etc..., or is Microsoft telling me that I need to purchase a Visual Studio .Net 2005 license to develop databases??

In Visual Studio .Net 2003 I have a database project that consists of numerous folders containing SQL scripts for tables, procedures, views and initialisation data. I can right-click any of these scripts and run it on any one of the database references that are also included in the project.

I thought new versions of products were supposed to introduce new features, not remove useful functionality!