Just so it is clear. The installer can't finish patching ONLY when the SQL Server Express Service (SQL Server (ACT7)) is disabled. If any other service is disabled, the update should be able to complete successfully. If this is not the case for your configuration, let me know.

Thanks,

Peter Saddow

Anthony and Peter,

Thanks for letting me know that I was not alone with this problem.

Solution provided by Anthony and Peter's comments helped me resolve this issue.

Thanks for the help.

Ken

When I tried (several times) to finish the suspended installation I got this error message: Not a valid installation package for the product Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition (ACT  7).  Try to find the installation installation package 'sqlrun_sql.msi' in a folder from which you can install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (ACT 7).

What now?

Bob

Hi again Anthony,

I'm updating my post from late yesterday.  I've called Microsoft and been told that they'll help me for free just as soon as I pay them $250. 

I contacted the ACT Beta Manager since I've been a Beta Tester for three years and that's who ACT Tech Support referred me to.  She directed me to two Knowledge Base articles, the numbers of which appear below in blue.

Here's the odd part.  As I mentioned yesterday, I'm unable to get past the step where I browse to sqlrun_sql.msi and then hit OK.  That's where the installation ends for me.  Well, when I follow the steps in KB article 21104 it says that SP3 IS ALREADY INSTALLED on this computer!  Yet I am still having the same trouble opening ACT unless it's a fresh reboot and Windows Update keeps trying to install the update at shutdown.

Please let me know if you can help me.  I'm getting a little bit despondent.

Sincerely,

Bob

If its just the service pack you are attempting you can refer to KB article # 21104.

If its related to the critical update, you can refer to KB article # 25673.

Anthony,

Your solution looks great. I downloaded the sql server service pack 3 as sqlexpr32.exe. I put it in a folder and clicked on it to extract the files. I could not find them. I looked at the first part of the directory it was extracting them to c:\1240.... . I tried windows explorer to find the folder. Alas, no. I tried search to find the file sqlrun_sql.msi. No again.

How do I find the folder the files are extracted to?

Thanks,

Blaine

Hey Blaine,

After you download the .exe and you run it, there will be a display box somewhere along that tells you where its all extracting too. Your search maybe didn't find it because its in an unindexed part of your harddrive such as a secondary drive. If you extract all the files its on your computer somewhere so you just have to find it.

Good luck!

Alikzam,

Thanks for the reply. I double clicked on the exe file and it does show a destination directory. I discovered that the destinaton directory is deleted if the install is cancelled. One has to copy the contents of the destination directory while the Accept the License window is open. I selected all the files and tried to copy but got an error message regarding the $shtdwn$ file. I tried the copy again by selecting all the files and then unselecting the $shtdwn$ file. That copy worked. I will try the rest of the patch step around later.

Blaine

Alikazam

I got to the part about change in add/delete programs. Once you click change, there are lots of choices. I would feel a lot more comfortable if someone indicated the correct selections to get to the request regarding complete the suspended installation. I can just see making a mess of the whole sql server installation.

Thanks

Blaine