SOLVED: Windows Installer keeps running infinitely after installing SQL Server 2012 SP1

The Problem

After installing SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1, Windows Installer is running constantly.

The Fix

Download and apply SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1 Cumulative Update 2.

More information

• SQL 2012: msiexec.exe running constantly after SP1 install
• Microsoft Connect: msiexec.exe processes keep running after installation of SQL Server 2012 SP1 

--Neno

What to enter for the default SQL Server instance

For example, Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) asks for “Select or enter a SQL instance”. It’s a mandatory field.

If you can’t browse to find your SQL Server, enter “MSSQLSERVER” for the default instance, or an instance name.

Moving a SQL Server Database from Enterprise to Standard Edition

The Problem

• You have a database (e.g. TFS collection database) in SQL Server Enterprise Edition.
• You want to backup and restore this database on a SQL Server Standard Edition.
• You get an error message on restore that some features are not supported.

The Solution

• On your Enterprise Edition Server:
  • Backup your database before the next step.
  • As described here, you can run a T-SQL query to determine where Enterprise features like data compression is used.
  • Jag Padda provides a script that will return T-SQL statements as the result, which you can then run against the database to disable compression.
• Now backup up your database and restore it on SQL Server Standard Edition.

Update (June 9th, 2012): Ed Holloway pointed out that the easiest way to downgrade your TFS database is to simply run this script:

exec prc_EnablePrefixCompression @online = 0, @disable = 1

Login to SQL Server 2008 (R2) as Local Admin

Just because you are a local administrator does *not* mean that you have permissions to access/log into your SQL Server 2008 (R2).

However, you can regain access by starting the SQL Server instance in "single user mode".

All you need to do is to add -m; to the Startup Parameters box and restart SQL Server.

See also: How to: Configure Server Startup Options (SQL Server Configuration Manager) on Microsoft TechNet.

Maximum database size in SQL Server

There's a limit for everything: do you know the maximum database size supported by SQL Server (32 and 64-bit)?

Well, no reason to panic. It's 524,272 terabytes (although a single database file is limited to 16 terabytes of data).

Further reading:

• Maximum Capacity Specifications for SQL Server 

SQL Server: How to remove a file from a file group

Solution:

1. Empty the file by using the Shrink function
   (it will copy the content to other files in the same file group).
2. Remote the file from the database files.

Error message: "Invoke or BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created" when Installing SQL Server 2008

Applies to: SQL Server 2008 on Windows 7/Server 2008 R2
Error message:

Invoke or BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created.
(as described in Microsoft KB article 975055)

Workaround:

"Generally, if you just rerun it won't hit the issue again." (Source)