Introduction
Due to some serious trouble with my SQL Server 2016 Virtual Machine I had to reinstall SQL Server + SP1 + SSMS + Visual Studio 2015 + SQL Server Data Tools again on an older backup of the Virtual Machine.
So the article I had planned next is delayed.
But my bad luck was still inspiration for this unplanned article.
Problem
How can I do quiet installations of SQL Server 2016 including all service packs and tools?
Solution
So what I want to do is install the following products with minimum effort and user interaction after each other, in the Netherlands we would say “gewoon, omdat het kan” (this means something like “just because it is possible”):
- SQL Server 2016 Developer Edition RTM
- SQL Server 2016 SP1
- SQL Server Management Studio 2016
- Visual Studio Community 2015
- SQL Server Data Tools
The structure of this article will be practical and straight forward.
For each program to install I will give comments and details about the command line options, one or more external references for more info when required, and a location to download the software.
A few common remarks that are applicable to all programs:
- I have chosen for “unattended but visible” installations when possible. This means there is no user interaction required, but you can see what is happening.
These switches are either called /qs or /passive.
- Before doing an unattended install you have to download all media. I mounted one ISO (SQL Server) as DVD drive in my Hyper V Virtual machine, and copied the other setup files into a Virtual harddisk X. (e.g. mounted the downloaded ISO file of SSDT and copied the files to X:\Install\SSDT).
- Also /norestart is used whenever possible. Not because I do not want to reboot, but because the reboot is taken care of in the Powershell script (using shutdown -r -t 0), so I can first create an empty dummy file. When this file exists, the script knows that the setup has already run.
- And last but not least: I think it is appropriate to thank Microsoft Corporation. All those software above is FOR FREE now (but please do respect the sometimes limiting license terms)! This is heaven for any developer just to play around without any license cost. So: Microsoft, a sincere Thank You.
Finally a PowerShell script (download the script here) is used that calls all installers, one after the other. You can choose to reboot inbetween, and then run the same script again.
SQL Server 2016 Developer Edition RTM
Comments and command line options
Two things are important here, you must add /IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS and you must have a ConfigurationFile that specifies all the details for the installation.
The simplest way to obtain a ConfigurationFile is to start the setup manually and walk through the wizard until it is ready to install. Then a path to the ConfigurationFile.ini is shown.
Save this file and you can use it for future installations.
To make the configuration file suitable for a “progress only” installation, set QUIETSIMPLE=”True”.
Also put a semicolon in front of UIMODE to make it comment, because it is not possible to use QUIET or QUIETSIMPLE together with UIMODE.
Changes needed in the SQL Server Configuration File ..
External references
Install SQL Server 2016 Using a Configuration File.
Where to download
SQL Server 2016 Developer Edition Download (Microsoft Account required).
SQL Server 2016 SP1
Comments and command line options
While writing this article I noticed that on the page above the installation media of SQL Server 2016 is also available including SP1, so in that case you do not need to download SP1 seperately.
If you need SP1, e.g. because you have existing installation media (maybe other than Developer Edition) the following can be said about the command line options:
I have used /action=Patch /allinstances /qs /IAcceptSQLServerLicenseTerms.
If you not want to do all instances on a server, check the external references below for more info.
External references
Silent install info on Technet.
Where to download
Microsoft® SQL Server® 2016 Service Pack 1 (SP1) download.
SQL Server Management Studio 2016
Comments and command line options
The command line options used are /install /passive /norestart.
External references
Performing a Silent Install of SQL Server Management Studio (2016) by Sven Aelterman.
Where to download
Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
Visual Studio Community 2015
Comments and command line options
Microsoft recommends to install Visual Studio 2015 before SQL Server Data Tools, as follows:
“We recommend installing Visual Studio 2015 prior to applying this update. Installing this update will replace SSDT RTM in Visual Studio 2015 with the latest version.
If you do not have Visual Studio 2015, SSDT will install the Visual Studio 2015 Integrated shell and Visual Studio 2015 Isolated shell with limited feature support for SQL Server Database and BI Projects.”
I like to install Visual Studio, so I can do other stuff like creating console applications. If you are sure you will only use the Business Intelligence “Suite” you could skip installing Visual Studio.
The command line options used are /Passive /NoRestart /Log “X:\Install\VSTUD_LOG\VSTUD.log”.
These options lead to an installation of about 7.2 GB.
It is best to provide a logfile name in a seperate “dedicated” folder, because not one, but hundreds of logfiles are created. I created the folder before manually. I have not tested (sorry, forgot) if the setup would create the folder if it would not exist.
I must warn you also that the command line option /Full leads to a massive install of about 56 GB and takes quite a long time. Because the default installation installs all I possibly need I did not use /Full.
When you run vs_community.exe /? you get an overview of the command line parameters.
External references
Using Command-Line Parameters to Install Visual Studio.
How to: Create and Run an Unattended Installation of Visual Studio.
Install Visual Studio 2015.
Where to download
VS 2015 Community Edition download.
SQL Server Data Tools
Comments and command line options
Hoorah, Microsoft ended the confusion and separate setups for SSDT (Visual Studio project type for Database projects) and SSDT-BI (formerly known as BIDS with project types for SSIS-, SSRS- and SSAS-development).
The current installer contains both!
One thing of the command line options really caught me and therefore a
WARNING!
Do not use a / before the command line options INSTALLAS, INSTALLIS, INSTALLRS and INSTALLALL!
However a slash is not shown in the help screen below, it is so easy to assume that a / is required (or overlook this on the help screen). Intuitively you would expect that all command line parameters start with /, but believe me I did this and both the installed software as the install log file proved that the options where not installed while I provided /INSTALLALL=1 as command line parameter.
A line of the logfile: Condition ‘INSTALLIS = 1 OR INSTALLALL = 1’ evaluates to false.
When I used INSTALLALL=1 as command line parameter, all Business Intelligence project types where installed!
When you run SSDTSETUP.EXE /? you get an overview of the command line parameters.
External references
Blog article by Dandy Weyn.
Where to download
Download SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT).
SQL Server Data Tools in Visual Studio 2015.
Using Powershell to install all
Please note that the installation is not “fully” automated. After each reboot, you have to restart the Powershell script, and it will continue with the first program that is not installed yet.
If you like, you could create a Windows Scheduled Task and start the script “with the highest privileges” after a reboot. I tried this but it seemed not to work very well, maybe I did something wrong.
So I just start the script a few times manually after reboot, not a big deal IMHO (but of course this depends on how you intend to use the script).
From a technical point of view, the comment in the script should help you further:
“Help” section of the PowerShell script. Please read!
The MAIN SCRIPT contains multiple of this kind of code blocks, for each installer one.
Running the PowerShell script ..
My Install folder with some “done” files ..
Command-based dialog after an installation is completed ..
Printscreen of installation in progress ..
After installation both “SQL Server Data Tools 2015” and “Visual Studio 2015” are available as Apps on Windows Server 2012 R2. In my experience you can use both for all project types, however I tend to use Visual Studio ..
Where to download
Download the Powershell script here.
(c) 2016 hansmichiels.com – Do not steal the contents – spread the link instead – thank you.
