Unable to Install SQL Server 2019 on M1 MacBookPro 1TB SSD with Parallels and Windows 11

Question

We have done SQL Server 2019 installations for many customers globally. However, we are faced with this huge problem as follows:

We are unable to install SQL Server 2019 (Express or Standard) in the following scenario:

• MacBook Pro 16” / 1TB SSD / Apple M1 Max Chip / 64GB RAM / 2021 Model
• Total Number of Cores = 10 (8 performance and 2 efficiency)
• System Firmware Version = 7429.61.2
• OS Loader Version = 7429.61.2
• macOS Monterey 12.1 (updated as of 10 January 2022)
• Parallels Ver 17
• Windows 11 Pro (downloaded the ARM based not x86, which is the right version for my Macbook Pro M1)

In the above environment, my observations so far after reading many threads:

1. If the Primary Hard Drive does not exceed 980GB, SQL Server 2019 installs properly (this option is not available to me)
2. If you have a Second “Physical” Hard Drive, SQL Server 2019 installs properly on the second drive (this option is not available to me)
3. If you partition the Primary 1TB SSD, the problem persists because the partition is still recognised internally as “One Single Hard Drive”
4. SQL Server 2019 can be installed successfully on Windows 10 but I am unable to install Windows 10 in the above environment due to the M1 Chip (ARM based, not x86)
5. Even if I sign up for “Windows Insider Program”, Windows 10 ISO File is not available for the above environment
6. The Gurus say: Windows 11 verifies (this is not done by Windows 10) and returns the “Sector Size” and if it is higher than 4K (4096 Bytes), SQL Server installation fails
7. It seems that this issue is not isolated to the Mac 2021 as even someone using a Samsung Laptop with 1TB SSD is facing the same issue
8. Microsoft Website clearly says that SQL Server 2019 is compatible with Windows 11 (RTM) – so we should safely rule out the issues of Windows 11 pre-release version incompatibility
9. The net result is that I have no option but to somehow get SQL Server 2019 to be successfully installed on Windows 11 in the above environment

I followed the following steps as recommended by the Gurus (to Fix “Sector Size)

1. Change Registry (run as Administrator) as follows:
   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\stornvme\Parameters\Device
   • New
   • Multi-String value
   • ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes
   • 4095
2. Run the following on CMD Prompt (run as Administrator)
   "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\stornvme\Parameters\Device" /v "ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes" /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d "* 4095" /f
3. Verify as follows on CMD Prompt (run as Administrator):
   REG QUERY "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\stornvme\Parameters\Device" /v "ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes"
4. Run the following on PowerShell (run as Administrator)
   New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\stornvme\Parameters\Device" -Name "ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes" -PropertyType MultiString -Force -Value "* 4095"
5. Verify the following on PowerShell (run as Administrator)
   Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\stornvme\Parameters\Device" -Name "ForcedPhysicalSectorSizeInBytes"
6. Restart Windows 11 and Install SQL Server 2019

My Results after doing the above

SQL Server Standard 2019 Installation Results:

Installation Failed for

1. Data Quality Services
2. Full-Text and Semantic Extractions for Search
3. Python
4. R
5. Machine Learning Services and Language Extensions
6. Database Engine Services
7. SQL Server Replication

—————————————————————

HELP REQUIRED!
I really need your help in getting a resolution for the above. It is really strange that both SQL Server 2019 and Windows 11 are Microsoft products and they seem to have such a huge glitch.

Thank you in advance, everyone!
—————————————————————

Answer 1

downloaded the ARM based not x86, which is the right version for my Macbook Pro M1)

ARM processors are not supported by SQL Server, only x64 Processor, see SQL Server 2019: Hardware and software requirements

Answer 2

I have also been struggling from last 10 days with above mentioned environment

• Not able to install SQL 2019 Express / Standard Edition on MacBook Pro 16” / 1TB SSD / Apple M1 Max Chip / 64GB RAM / 2021 Model
• Windows 11 Pro (downloaded the ARM based not x86, which is the right version for my Macbook Pro M1)
• Parallels Ver 17
• MacOS Monterey 12.1 (With latest updates)

Need urgent help on above mentioned matter.

Answer 3

Hi @Arvind Agarwalla ,

Please see this similar thread about M1: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/630286/will-arm-cpu-architecture-be-supported-for-sql-ser.html

Best regards,
Seeya

---

If the answer is the right solution, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".
Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Answer 4

HELP REQUIRED TO INSTALL SQL SERVER 2019 -

We are unable to install SQL Server 2019 (Express or Standard) in the following scenario:

• MacBook Pro 16” / 1TB SSD / Apple M1 Max Chip / 64GB RAM / 2021 Model
• Total Number of Cores = 10 (8 performance and 2 efficiency)
• System Firmware Version = 7429.61.2
• OS Loader Version = 7429.61.2
• macOS Monterey 12.1 (current updated )
• Parallels Ver 17
• Windows 11 Pro (downloaded the ARM based not x86, which is the right version for my Macbook Pro M1)

Answer 5

For installing SQL Server on Parallels, you may have to let it to suffice with Windows 10. See this thread: https://learn.microsoft.com/answers/answers/573143/view.html.

(And SudiptaGhosh, there are better ways to get help in forums than posting to about every existing thread. That is simply not the way to do it.)