You receive a "Command line option syntax error" error message when you install SQL Server 2000 SP3 (841487)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft SQL Server 2000 (all editions) SP3

SYMPTOMS

When you install Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3) on your computer, you may receive the following error message:
SQL Redist
content: Command line option syntax error. Type Command /? for Help.
If you click OK in the message box, the installation of SQL Server 2000 SP3 may complete successfully. However, the Sqlredist.exe program may not have run successfully during the installation of SQL Server 2000 SP3. This problem may occur if all the following conditions are true:
  • You run the SQL Server 2000 SP3 Setup.bat file from a folder that contains double-byte character set (DBCS) characters in the folder name.
  • An ODBC client program that uses the Sqlsrv32.dll file is running on your computer.
Additionally, if you install the MS03-033 security update for Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) on your computer after this problem occurs, the SQL Server Agent service may not start successfully, and you may receive the following error message:
Unable to load SQL Server ODBC driver resource DLL. The application cannot continue.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, run the SQL Server 2000 SP3 Setup.bat file from a folder that does not contain DBCS characters in the folder name.

MORE INFORMATION

When SQL Server 2000 SP3 is installed, the SQL Server 2000 SP3 installer replaces the existing MDAC files on the computer with the files for MDAC 2.7 SP1, even if the Sqlredist.exe program does not run successfully. However, the SQL Server 2000 SP3 installer does not update the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DataAccess\FullInstallVer registry key with the correct version of MDAC.

If you install the MS03-033 security update after this problem occurs, the MS03-033 security update installer does not replace the Sqlsrv32.rll file because the installer does not recognize the version of MDAC that is installed on your computer. Therefore, the ODBC client application cannot load the correct version of resource file, and you receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

823718 MS03-033: Security Update for Microsoft Data Access Components

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/27/2004
Keywords:kbSecurity kbsetup kbDriver kbprb KB841487 kbAudDeveloper
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.