SQL Server 2012 CTP3 Installation Error : The data is invalid.
Microsoft SQL Server 2012 aka Denali CTP3 is released yesterday. I was waiting the SQL Server 2011 release date and immediately start to download SQL Server 2012 CTP 3.
While trying to install SQL Server 2012 CTP3, for both 32 bit SQL Server 2012 setup and for 64 bit Denali CTP3 setup, I experienced the following "The data is invalid." installation error message. Unfortunately this setup error interrupted the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 installation when the setup process has just started.
Here is the SQL Server 2012 CTP3 setup error message:
Unloading the Box
An error was encountered.
The data is invalid.
I tried the download bits on a 32 bit virtual PC and on a 64 bit desktop computer. First, I tried to run SQLFULL_x86_ENU_Install.exe file directly within a setup on a VPC. But failed with the same error. Although the unloading from box operation creates a folder named SQLFULL_x86_ENU where the setup exe is, there is no SETUP.EXE file created. That is why the above "The data is invalid." message is displayed during installation.
Later I tried SQL Server 2012 CTP3 installation using SQLFULL_x64_ENU_Install.exe file and other 64bit setup files on my X64 PC. Similar to previous setup attempt SQLFULL_x64_ENU folder is created, unfortunately without SETUP.EXE file. The 64-bit installation on a 64bit Windows 7 operating system failed with the same error "An error was encountered. The data is invalid."
While struggling with this setup error, I've created an .iso file from the downloaded SQL Server 2012, Denali CTP 3 setup file. Although I tried to install SQL Server 2012 from an .iso image, the new CTP version of the upcoming SQL Server setup failed once more.
Finally, I could install Microsoft SQL Server 2012 CTP3 using 32-bit setup files on my 64-bit Windows 7 operating system. I just double click SQLFULL_x86_ENU_Install.exe file from where I downloaded all 4 setup files. And the data extraction, or the setup file unpacking was successfull. The box unloading created SQLFULL_x86_ENU folder with SETUP.EXE in it
I believe that there are some corrupt files and because of that reason the unloading the box failed causing the SQL Server 2012 installation process interrupt. Possibly I'll download X64 setup files once more and try again.