This is the second part of my installing SCCM series. Read the first part here
So I ran the setup again and at the “Database Information” page it seems to get stuck. I got the same “unable to connect” error as last time. troubleshooting…
During my testing of SCCM 2012, I determined that it needs a specific configuration of SQL server. This post tells you what needs to be done. I have a SQL server 2008 instance already installed for use with SCCM 2007. I was hoping I could use the same VM for SCCM 2012 testing. This post is in reference to that VM.
Check out the official SQL server requirements list. Out of this I am listing my own experiences here:
1. Database collation:
I checked a few DB servers, looks like they already have the Database collation required by SCCM 2012 installed by default. So I did not have to change anything.
2. SQL Server features
I did not check on this. I guess Database Engine Services is already there … Hey the DB works, so gotta be there, right!
3. Windows Authentication
I checked the server properties inside SQL server management console. Server authentication was already set to “Windows Authentication Mode”
4. SQL Server instance
Now this is something I am having trouble with. Why need a dedicated instance? I searched for some time on the ‘net but could not find any answer. Everyone just says that SCCM2012 needs a dedicated instance……but why does it need a dedicated instance?
5. SQL Server memory
Wow 8 GB for SQL server! I don’t have any VM which I can assign 8GB to. This will surely be a problem.
I came across this blog post about the same topic as my post here. There are some interesting configurations of SQL Server Communication Ports there. Following that post I change my SQL Server to use static ports.
I also added the computer account of my new SCCM server to the logins inside Security >> Logins in SQL Management Studio. My domain admin account was already there. I just needed to add the new SCCM server’s computer account. It has to be manually typed in the following syntax:
domain_name\computer_name$
sdaf
I am going to try using the existing SQL server instance with SCCM 2012 and see what happens.
So when I was installing SCCM 2012 I found out that I need to install patches/updates on my SQL server.
To find out what version I was running I looked at this document.
How to determine which version and edition of SQL Server Database Engine is running
To determine the version of SQL Server, you can use any of the following methods:
Method 1: Connect to the server by using Object Explorer in SQL Server Management Studio. After Object Explorer is connected, it will show the version information in parentheses, together with the user name that is used to connect to the specific instance of SQL Server.
Method 2: Look at the first few lines of the Errorlog file for that instance. By default, the error log is located at Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.n\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG and ERRORLOG.n files. The entries may resemble the following:
I used method 2 and found out that my SQL server was:
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP3) - 10.0.5500.0 (Intel X86)
For SCCM 2012 it needs Cumulative update #4. Strangely Microsoft’s official SQL server updates page shows that only CU3 is available. Anyway, googling CU4 for SQL 2008 quickly brings up this page.
Make sure you download the right version, by default it downloads the x64 version. My server OS was 32bit. The download is available for 32bit but you have to click on “Show additional information” to see the 32bit version.
Download and install is simple enough…. just click next-next and eventually it will ask for a server restart.
Now the version in the log is :
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 (SP3) - 10.0.5775.0 (Intel X86)
The above mentioned KB article says:
| 10.00.5775.00 | SP3 CU #4 (2673383) Mar 19, 2012 |
So I guess we are good… CU4 is there now.
At first I found out that vermiculite is almost impossible to find here in northern Virginia. After searching for a day or so I eventually found a few suppliers of it:
Tilling the soil ever year was a pretty tiresome process. So I was looking for an easier way to grow vegetables and came across this book describing another way called Square Foot Gardening.
The ideas in this book seem to be pretty good. Use no soil, just use a mix of compost, peat moss and vermiculite.
At first I found out that vermiculite is almost impossible to find here in northern Virginia. After searching for a day or so I eventually found it locally.