Upgrading From XP to Windows 7 does not require XP Product Key?!?!

After using Windows 7 Ultimate RC for almost half a year, it was about time to install the production version. I had received the Windows7 Professional Upgrade package from BestBuy from my pre-ordered in July. I got it for about $129CND, which is a 50% off promotion.

Since this was an upgrade, I expected Windows 7 installation would require me to install Windows XP or at least has the Windows XP CD installation disk ready.

After using BootCamp to recreate a new partition, I restarted my Mac and began install Windows 7. By the way, I had to clean up the Mac partition, so that BootCamp could split the partition.

Here was the problem I encountered, when I tried to type in my Product Key for Windows 7, it failed to validate it.  After retyping it a couple of times, I gave up and google for solution.

Fortunately, the first entry of my search results gave me the solution, which was to install Windows 7 without the typing in the product key.

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7install/thread/a7a018fa-17b8-4a27-9657-52ba4d178e87

So, that what I did. I installed it without the product key. Once I am in the desktop, I used Windows Search and open the Windows Activation screen.

I typed in the product key again, and it passed.

Hmm… strange, why it didn’t ask for my Windows XP Key???

After I did a search, it turned out that I may have by pass the procedure of installing Windows XP. Legally speaking, you still need a legit copy of Windows XP, however, with the by pass, it looks like you may not really need your Windows XP or Vista installation disk.

Just a side note, some local computer stores in Calgary or Edmonton are selling Windows 7 Professional OEM 64bit for about $149, which is reasonably inexpensive. If you are a student, you can get the Windows 7 Home edition for $40CND.

Why can’t MS make SQL2008 Installation Easier + Failed to register SQLDMO.DLL

I rarely write blog to complain about something. I would rather like to share useful information instead.  But this time, I got so frustrated installing SQL2008.

Originally, I have Windows 7 installed with SQL2008 Server. My company has an product that require a file call “SQLDMO.DLL” to be register. (i.e. regsrv32 sqldmo.dll). Unfortunately I kept getting an –2147024770 error.

After trying everything, I decided to uninstall SQL2008 Server and hopefully by reinstalling it would let me register sqldmo.dll.

Btw, I turned off my firewall and UAC just in attempt to register sqldmo.dll…. but nothing works.

Originally, I installed SQL2008 from a MSDN CD follow by an SP1 installation. My colleague suggested me to install SQL2008Express install from one of our company shared directory. So this is what had happened.

1. Install SQL2008Express from company network
2. Complain about Windows 7 compatibility issue, click continue
3. Go online, cannot find SQL2008Express SP1 upgrade, instead, just the full SQL2008Express SP1 installation
4. Uninstall install existing SQL Server just to be safe.
5. Download and install SQL2008Express from here
6. Installation works, but can’t find SQL Management Studio
7. Download and install SQL Management Studio from here
8. The setup screen didn’t say anything bout Management Studio, install, it is the same screen as regular SQL Express installation wizard.
9. Try install it, failed, because I have SQL installed
10. Find another download link: http://www.microsoft.com/express/sql/download/
11. Try to install “Runtime with Management Tools”
12. Cannot install since I have SQL installed
13. Try install “Management Tools”
14. Complain about Windows 7 compatibility issue, ignore it
15. Finally, I got SQL Management Studio

I downloaded total of over 2GB of installation files, took me to whole morning to do it. Yet, I still cannot register sqldmo.dll.

Solution

Ultimately… it turns out that all I needed to do is install SQLDMO from SQL Server 2005 Backward Compatibility components. Yikes, wasted 1/2 of my day.

SQL Server – Login failed for user: Error 18456

Every once in awhile I need to reinstall SQL Server. Every time after I reinstall SQL Server and try to run my project executable, I would run into a connection error which says I cannot login with my specific user name.

First – Ensure your Login user is Added

The first thing I would do is to ensure my restored database has the right user.  In fact, it has to be a user from the SQL Server security group, and not the one from the Database security group.

In the following example, the database apts_dev4.0 has a user name call “MentorStreetsDBUser”. Under the DICKYS2\SQLEXPRESS security, it also has “MentorStreetsDBUser”. However, these two users are not the same at all. The one in the database is created by my previous SQLServer. This logon will not work for the newly installed SQLServer.

For this part, I simply remove the MentorStreetsDBUser from the database, and add a new user by specifying MentorStreetsDBUser from the SQL Server. This way I should able to logon using this account name. Make sure you give this user the proper security rights.

But Wait… I still get a Login Fail message with this user!

Second – Ensure SQL Server Authentication Mode is On

This is the part where I usually forgot to do.

Right click on the SQL Server select Property. Click the Security section. You will see the following:

In the Server authentication, select both “SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode”

By default, SQL Server only allows Windows Authentication login, and not the SQL Server login. After restart SQLServer, everything will work again.

Conclusion

First, I would hope that SQL Server Management would at least so a warning letting me know that the imported database user would not able to log on.

Second, I think that MS SQL Server should default the Server authentication to both the “SQL Server and Windows Authentication Mode”.

In addition they should provide better error message. I personally don’t see a big security issue if you at least tell the user that "SQL Server Mode Login is not supported”.