Why is so difficult to install SQL Server Express 2019?

Question

It has been a very frustrating to install SQL Server Express 2019.
The installation starts smoothly until when msoledbsql.msi and msodbcsql.msi are required.
The copies of the two resources located in 1033_ENU_LP\x64\Setup\x64 that came with the downloded sofware (downloaded 4 times already) have not been useful in the scenario as the system Windows10 Version 22H2 (OS Build 19045.2311) reports the two as invalid. That's the bottleneck!

My challenge is knowing exactly where to get valid installation packages 'msoledbsql.msi' and 'msodbcsql.msi'.
Are they elsewhere outside Microsoft platforms?

Please help.

Answer 1

I encountered the issue above trying to upgrade from SQL Server 2019 Developer Edition to SQL Server 2022 Developer Edition.

I found the answer here [https://sqlquantumleap.com/2019/05/05/error-2068643839-1602-installing-msoledbsql-msi-and-msodbcsql-msi-for-sql-server-2019-ctp-2-5/

Which was to uninstall specific versions of "odbc..." and "ole db...." via add/Remove programs and also via the control panel "Programs and Features"

HTH

Answer 2

I know that I have seen other posts where people have run into issues with OLE DB and/or ODBC. But it's not that everyone gets this problem. I've never run into this myself - except in one special case when I tried to have both a German and French SQL Server instance on the same machine.

Do you have exact error messages? What is the language of your OS?

Answer 3

Hi @Oluyemi Oyewole ,
I just found 'msoledbsql.msi' in this link :https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/oledb/applications/installing-oledb-driver-for-sql-server?view=sql-server-ver16
But I didn't find the parameter about ODBC. So how about downloading the latest version in this link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/connect/odbc/download-odbc-driver-for-sql-server?view=sql-server-ver15
And this is not the one hundred percent to solve your error. You can try it and wish you good luck!

Answer 4

I thank you for your timely and kind response.

Collated error(s) is in the attached file, please.
By the way, the files downloaded from the links you have kindly provided did not work in this instance.

Your further help should be appreciated.

271140-error-installing-sql-server-express-2019.pdf

Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server - C:\ProgramData\Package Cache{9D6F8754-28E9-4940-B319-3FC8588CF18F}v18.5.0.0\x64\ was not available.
The Message: The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable.
On browsing to C:\SQL2019\ExpressAdv_ENU\1033_ENU_LP\x64\Setup\x64 use ‘msoledbsql.msi’, the error indicated was that the ‘msoledbsql.msi’ that came with the software was not a valid package for the product Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server.

What I did was to search for and download the said file ‘msoledbsql.msi’, but it did not work either.
The Error:
An installation package for the product Microsoft OLE DB Driver for SQL Server cannot be found. Try the installation again using a valid copy of the installation package 'msoledbsql.msi'.
The same scenario played for ‘msodbcsql’.

And finally, SQL Server Express 2019 failed to install: