FIX: Installation of Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE) Service Pack 1 over Later MSDE Service Pack Appears to Succeed (308836)

SYMPTOMS

A SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE) service pack later than SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1 (SP1) can appear to be incorrectly overwritten by an installation of SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine Service Pack 1 that has the same instance name. Additionally, the installation is reported as successful even though an earlier service pack is installed on top of a later service pack version. However, the installation of SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1 does not actually replace any files and does not down grade the service pack version.

If the service pack installation was performed with verbose logging, you will find a message similar to the following in the Microsoft Windows installer log after you install SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1 over the later service pack:

Property(C): OriginalDatabase = E:\MSDE2.0\SP1\sqlrun01.msi Property(C): UILevel = 3 Property(C): ACTION = INSTALL
.
.
.
MSI (c) (51:25): Product: Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine -- Configuration completed successfully.

However, the later service pack version is maintained and at the top of the SQL Server error logs you will see a message similar to the following, which corresponds to the SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 2 (SP2):

2002-01-29 14:01:27.84 server Microsoft SQL Server 2000 - 8.00.534 (Intel X86)
Nov 19 2001 13:23:50
Copyright (c) 1988-2000 Microsoft Corporation
Desktop Engine on Windows 4.10 (Build 1998: )

CAUSE

The SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1 setup does not test for a later service pack installation; therefore, the installation appears to succeed when you install SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1 over a later service pack. However, as documented in the Readme.txt file of each service pack, backing out of a service pack requires considerable work.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

290211 INF: How to Obtain the Latest SQL Server 2000 Service Pack

Starting with SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 2, and later, the service pack setup does test for the existence of a later service pack installation during the setup process. In future service packs you will not be able to install earlier versions of service packs over later ones. Attempts to perform this type of service pack upgrade will result in an error. The effect of the SQL Server 2000 SP1 installation over a later service pack appears benign. After the earlier service pack installation, the server still exhibits behavior of the later service pack.