SQL Error during install - ACT! 2010 - HELP!

[BobH]

I had a hard disk crash and am reinstalling all my programs, in the case of ACT! 2010 directly from the CD.  This is the first of many I am installing so there shouldn't be any conflicts.

Here's the problem:

During the install I get the error message: "There was an unexpected failure during the setup wizard.  You may review the setup logs and/or click the help button for more information"

I found one other entry on this and it simply said to delete everything and use the MS clean install/uninstall utility, which I did but the error still persists.

It's baffling because this is a fresh hard drive with virtually nothing on it and I am installing from the original CDs.

Can anyone help????

Thanks

Bob 

[CherieButtsworth]

Hi Bob

What OS are you running?

[BobH]

Windows 7

I have used the MS deep uninstall utility to remove all references to ACT and SQL and still get the same install errors. Seems strange that ACT can't install over a previous SQL installation as there are a lot of programs that use it.

Bob

[CherieButtsworth]

Windows 7 64 bit or 32bit?

Ensure that the UAC is disabled in windows 7 before installing ACT.  Also, make sure the .net 4 client profile and extend are not installed.  (only .net 3.5)

If you are having trouble installing ACT and you're certain its related to SQL then you can try doing a manual install of SQL  If you get an error while installing SQL manually you generally get a  more detailed SQL Error message to troubleshoot than if you just install it through ACT.

To do this please ensure that you are logged into windows with a profile that has full administration privileges.

This Knowledge base article walks you through how to manually extract the SQL 2005 Express package so you are able to manually install it.  There is a link to another KB article at the bottom of this article that will run you through how to manually install SQL 2005 Instance for ACT.

If you don't feel confident in following these steps, please enlist the help of an ACT Certified Consultant in your area.

[BobH]

Thank you, Cherie,

I am running Win 7 64 bit.  I will uninstall everything one more time and then post screen shots of the errors. 

I must say that I've been around the software business for 25 yrs (I worked on Lotus 1-2-3 in the mid 80s) and have never run into a more disappointing product from an installation perspective.

If a company can't even get an install procedure correctly then how can we trust it to do much else?

Bob

[Roy_Laudenslager]

I just resolved a similar problem with a reinstall of ACT! 2011. The ACT! install would fail and give me a message indicating an SQL problem. As SQL was not present on the system I was expecting the ACT! install to install MSSQL 2008 R2. Because it didn't, I downloaded the SQL install file from Microsoft and installed it on the pc. Then I tried the ACT! install again and this time ACT! installed with out any problems. 

My assumption is that some residue of the original install of SQL remained present on the system, likely in the registry, that the ACT! install detected but then couldn't find the actual SQL files.

If you are installing ACT! 2010 you need MSSQL 2005. 

[BobH]

Hi Roy,

I had the same thought, so I found SQL Server 2005 Express SP3 online

at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14752

I successfully installed it.  Then I ran the ACT! install program and it overwrote that installation and gave me the same error message about another instance of SQL Server running and aborted. 

To add insult to injury the message at the end says to review the installation guide.  Right, like that has anything to say about SQL Server.

So, how do I install ACT! without it going through the SQL Server piece so it doesn't wreck what I've got installed (again)?

Roy, can you explain your last statement that starts with "My assumption..."  Before beginning this install I used the Revo uninstaller to uninstall SQL Server, then searched the registry for all references to SQL Server (and deleted them), then searched the hard drive for all references to SQL and deleted all of those files.  I've been pretty diligent.  How could there be a remnant still present?

So, here's another question, will ACT! 2010 run on ANY properly installed version of SQL Server?  i.e. if I install 2008 as Roy did will it work, or should I stick with playing with 2005?

Why is SQL Server to tempermental?

[Roy_Laudenslager]

For the Pro version it must be SQL Express 2005.

I now suspect that you have a corrupted install package. There is a download available but it's not directly available to the public. 

[gmartin]

BobH,

Please see your Private Notes for a download link.

Roy,

Thank you for notifying us of the need.

[BobH]

Well, the new download doesn't work either. Despite uninstalling SQL Server 2005 from my system, doing a deep cleaning of the Registry, seaching my entire computer for any reference of "ACT7" which is the name of the SQL Server instance and finding none, I did the reinstall using the new download that Greg sent. That failed also telling me that I already had an instance of SQL Server 2005 named "ACT7" on my computer.

So, here are my questions:

1) Where does this invisible instance of ACT7 exist and how do I find it?

2) Can ACT! 2010 use an instance of SQL Server Express NOT called ACT7? i.e. can I call it something else?

I'm ready to give up and I'm *.

Bob