Security update for SQL Server KB970892 fails to install

Over the last few days KB970892 has consitently failed to install on our SQL Servers via Windows Update. The following instructions will get it working.

Once the update fails to install, you’ll likely have to reboot as the system will be flagged as pending a reboot. Once rebooted we need to attempt to complete the SQL Server installation:

1. Open up Add or Remove Programs, select Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and click Change
2. On the Component Selection screen, choose Database Engine under SQL Server 2005 Instances and click Next
3. On the Feature Maintenance screen, choose Database Engine and click Next
4. Go through the setup wizard until the Change or Remove Instance screen. Then click Complete the suspended installation.
5. Follow through the wizard, if you get a prompt for the files point it at your SQL SP3 installation media and continue.

If you’re using SQL Server 2005 Express you can extract SQLEXPR32.EXE with the /x switch.

The installation will likely fail with the following error:

SQL Server Setup has encountered the following problem: [Microsoft][SQL Native Client][SQL Server]Password validation failed. The password does not meet Windows policy requirements because it is too short.. To continue, correct the problem, and then run SQL Server Setup again.

Edit C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Upgrade\sqlagent90_msdb_upgrade.sql with notepad or similar.

Change password on line 30683 to something more complex, from:
encryption by password = 'Yukon90_'
To (for example):
encryption by password = 'Yukon90_23423ASDzz}{'

Then further down, change line 30977 to reflect the same value:

From
set @exec_str = N'add signature to ' + @sp + N' by certificate [##MS_AgentSigningCertificate##] with password = ''Yukon90_'''

To
set @exec_str = N'add signature to ' + @sp + N' by certificate [##MS_AgentSigningCertificate##] with password = ''Yukon90_23423ASDzz}{'''

Cancel out of setup. Back in Add or Remove Programs choose Change again for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 continuing through the wizard as before. This time, you wont get the error and the upgrade will complete.

Comments

• Martin says:

  Genius – thank you.
  Some fool administrator has set the default system password minimum length to be 9 characters, so this was failing, and i had to tear my hair out to get even this far.

  Now it’s being fixed on system after system all over the show. /cheer

  Reply
  • Dave says:

    No problem, glad it helped.

    Reply
• Vladimir says:

  Thank you very much. You save us!

  Reply
• Rob Bird says:

  Note at step 5 for the media:
  I had 2 database instances on SBS2008 – SBSMONITORING and SOPHOS. The install media for SOPHOS was just the normal “Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Service Pack 3” (sqlexpr.exe) but that didn’t work for SBSMONITORING and I had to use the install media “Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services Service Pack 3” (sqlexpr_adv.exe) for that one to work.

  I got round the password issue by setting min password length in the Group Policy to 7 then putting it back to the original number afterwards. I have a feeling that this might have then meant all users were prompted for new passwords but aren’t 100% sure – no one complained, so your password method is probably better – well done!

  Reply
  • Dave says:

    Glad it helped Rob.

    That’s probably ok for a small network, but obviously not something you want to do for larger companies.

    As you say, the installation media will vary depending on what was installed. The example I gave was just the express media. If you’re running a different edition you’ll likely need the correct media.

    Cheers

    Reply
• docbones 4 says:

  Your response states: “If you’re using SQL Server 2005 Express you can extract SQLEXPR32.EXE with the /x switch.”

  How do I do that? The sqlrun_sql.msi is missing on my computer

  Reply
  • Dave says:

    Download SQLEXPR32.exe from Microsoft.com, open up a command prompt, CD to the directory containing SQLEXPR32.exe and run “sqlexpr32 /x” and you’ll be prompted to extract the contents of the file.

    Reply
    • Lewis says:

      I’ve got SQL Server Express Edition. I’ve downloaded SQLEXPR32.exe to my hard drive. I don’t know how to “open up a Command Prompt”, etc. Can I double-click on the .exe file to extract it? If so, then what?
      PS. As you’ve probably gathered, I’m no computer wiz!
      Thanks.

      Reply
• Marek says:

  Thanks a lot. Your solution finally helped me after 2 hours of trials and errors.

  Reply
• Louis says:

  Many thanks. Worked like a dream

  Reply
• edoceo says:

  Worked here too, thanks for the tip!

  Reply
• Timothy Herrick says:

  I have been having this update failure for over a year, and I’m just living with it. I really do think I could apply the fixes in this article,so thanks very much, already, BUT is there actually anything that my computer is using SQL for? I am not really doing relational databases that I know of.

  Reply
  • Dave says:

    Hi Timothy,

    That’s hard to say without knowing what’s on your computer. Do you use something like Business Contact Manager, that uses SQL Server behind the scenes?

    You could try stopping the SQL Server service on your computer and see if everything you use still functions. If it does, you could then uninstall SQL Server.

    Thanks

    Dave

    Reply

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