SEPM Installation issues with the SQL Server Express database

Products

• Endpoint Protection

Issue/Introduction

The Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager's (SEPM) installation or migration to the built-in SQL Server Express database has failed or encountered an error that you need to troubleshoot.

Starting with 14.3 RU1, the default database used in a SEPM installation is SQL Server Express instead of an Sybase embedded database.

Common error messages:

"The SQL Server Express database installation failed. Unknown SQL Server Express installation error!"

Environment

14.3 RU1 or later.

SQL Server Express version.

• SQL Server Express 2014 is installed on Windows Server 2008 R2.
• SQL Server Express 2017 is used for all other OS.

Resolution

Review the following logs to investigate why the SEPM's Default SQL Server Express database did not install correctly.

If the issue is encountered during the Management Server Configuration Wizard portion of the install, review the following logs.

• SEPM installation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager\tomcat\logs\ConfigurationWizard-0.log
• SEPM upgrade - C:\Program Files (x86)\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager\tomcat\logs\Upgrade-0.log
  
  

If the issue is encountered during the Default SQL Server Server Express installation: first check for and uninstall any existing SQL Server 2012 Native Client. If a newer client is already installed, SQL Express will throw the "Unknown SQL Server Express installation error" when it tries to install an older version of the client and it is not at all obvious from the logging that this is the cause. Otherwise check for the presence of the following file(s).

• SQL 2017 - C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\140\Setup Bootstrap\Log\Summary.txt.
• SQL 2014 - C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\120\Setup Bootstrap\Log\Summary.txt.
• If the file is found in neither location, check the C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\###\Setup Bootstrap\logs\ folder for a file named Details.txt.
• If none of the above are found, look directly for the SystemConfigurationCheck_Report.html file below.
  
  

To review the Summary.txt, open it and scroll to the bottom of the file.  There should be a line similar to

Rules report file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<version>\Setup Bootstrap\Log\<date>_<time>\SystemConfigurationCheck_Report.html

Open the SystemConfigurationCheck_Report.html and review for exceptions and error messages. 

Follow recommendations within the SQL Server Express logs to resolve any installation issues.

After remediation steps have been taken, run one of the following.

• If installing the SEPM, run sca.bat found C:\Program Files (x86)\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager\bin\sca.bat
• If upgrading the SEPM, run upgrade.bat found C:\Program Files (x86)\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager\bin\upgrade.bat