Use response files

Response files are plain text files. They specify which System Platform products, and even which features of a product that Setup.exe will install. For example, one response file could be used to install the components for a run-time environment. A different response file might be used to install the components for a development server.

Response files can install more than one product at a time, enabling you to install all the necessary products for a given role.

Because the user will get little feedback on error conditions, it is necessary for the user to perform the following checks before installing via command line:

1. The operating system must be a supported version with all of the correct service packs.

2. SQL Server must be a supported version.

3. The user running installation must have administrator rights.

Any issues that would stop a typical GUI-based installation, such as the presence of incompatible software, will also prevent successful completion of a command-line installation. You can keep the command prompt open during installation by specifying the /silentnoreboot switch. This will let you view messages related to installation issues. Installation messages are lost when the system restarts. With the /silentnoreboot switch, you will need to manually restart the system after installation completes. If you allow the system to restart automatically, as it will if you use the /silent switch, you can search the log file for error conditions that may have stopped the installation from completing successfully.

Note: SQL Server and the .NET Framework are not installed automatically by the command line installer and must be installed before starting silent installation. Other prerequisites are installed automatically.

All the sample response files contain information to create the Network Account for system communication. If another System Platform product was previously installed and the the Network Account was already created, subsequent installations will retain the original Network Account. A new account is not created.

For example, under those conditions, Setup.exe ignores the following properties in the response file:

AdminUserForm.SUserName

AdminUserForm.SPassword

AdminUserForm.SCreateLocal

AdminUserForm.SDomainName

AdminUserForm.SEnhancedSecurity

A good approach for testing is to first run the Setup.exe in GUI mode on a typical computer and confirm that no incompatibilities exist that would stop the installation, then cancel and run by command line.

Note: If the GUI-based installation requires a system restart after the installation is complete, installing by command line will also require a system restart. Using the /silent switch allows the system to restart automatically. The /silentnoreboot switch suppresses the automatic restart, but will require a manual restart.