SQL 2012 Setup issues - hexadecimal value 0x00 is an invalid character

Question

Hi all,

Am having no luck installing 2012 RC0. The error I am getting is consistent no matter what I have tried. The problem always occurs right after picking any  option that requires the installer look inside my system to figure out what's there and what has to be done next e.g. Installation > New SQL Server Standalone.... Somewhere within that common inspection / configuration routine a character comes up that my system falls over on.

TITLE: SQL Server Setup failure.
------------------------------
SQL Server Setup has encountered the following error:
'.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 817.
Error code 0x84B10001.
For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkID=20476&ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&EvtType=0x066FCAFD%25400x5539C151

System Details

• OS: Win 7 Ultimate SP1
• No Denali beta bits on the machine (never were)
• .NET 3.5 SP1 is installed (.NET 4.0 also installed)
• Installed extra patch for .NET 3.5 SP1 for Win 7 http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=958488
• Removed all SQL 2008 R2 bits (just to be sure)
• Reinstalled Visual Studio 2010 SP1

Other stuff I've done:

• Downloaded the 2012 bits twice
• Extracted contents of the ISO into a physical directory and executed from there.

Same error every time.

Just to be sure it was a 2012 thing I tried running the SQL 2008 R2 installer and it ran past the point where I get the 2012 error without a hitch.

There is something in the 2012 installer that requires bits my system just does not have to handle that hex character as it should. All I can think of is that there is some form of hotfix / QFE that I have not applied and that is what is causing the hexadecimal value error I keep getting.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Nick

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http://nickbarclay.blogspot.com

Answer 1

Hi Nick,

Could you please share the installation log files of summary.txt and details.txt under [default installation disk]:\ ProgramFiles\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Setup Bootstrap\Log folder?If the log files are too big to post here,please upload them to a shared folder like 'SkyDriver'.

 

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Best Regards,
Peja

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Answer 2

Hi Peja,

Here is the Summary.txt contents

Overall summary:

  Final result:                  Failed: see details below

  Exit code (Decimal):           -2068774911

  Exit facility code:            1201

  Exit error code:               1

  Exit message:                  '.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 817.

  Start time:                    2011-11-20 14:48:55

  End time:                      2011-11-20 14:49:18

  Requested action:              RunDiscovery

  Exception help link:           http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.1750.32&EvtType=0x066FCAFD%400x5539C151&EvtType=0x066FCAFD%400x5539C151

 

Machine Properties:

  Machine name:                  MYPCNAME

  Machine processor count:       2

  OS version:                    Windows 7

  OS service pack:               Service Pack 1

  OS region:                     United States

  OS language:                   English (United States)

  OS architecture:               x64

  Process architecture:          64 Bit

  OS clustered:                  No

 

Package properties:

  Description:                   Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Release Candidate 0

  ProductName:                   SQL Server 2012 RC0

  Type:                          RC

  Version:                       11

  SPLevel:                       0

  Installation location:         C:\INSTALLS\SQL 2012\x64\setup\

  Installation edition:          

 

User Input Settings:

  ACTION:                        RunDiscovery

  CONFIGURATIONFILE:             

  ENU:                           true

  HELP:                          false

  INDICATEPROGRESS:              false

  QUIET:                         false

  QUIETSIMPLE:                   false

  UIMODE:                        Normal

  X86:                           false

 

  Configuration file:            C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20111120_144848\ConfigurationFile.ini

 

Rules with failures:

 

Global rules:

 

There are no scenario-specific rules.

 

Rules report file:               The rule result report file is not available.

 

Exception summary:

The following is an exception stack listing the exceptions in outermost to innermost order

Inner exceptions are being indented

 

Exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.ChainerInfrastructureException

    Message: 

        '.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 817.

    HResult : 0x84b10001

        FacilityCode : 1201 (4b1)

        ErrorCode : 1 (0001)

    Data: 

      HelpLink.EvtType = 0x066FCAFD@0x5539C151

      DisableWatson = true

    Stack: 

        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.DataStoreService.LoadXmlDocument(String xml, XmlSchema schema, String namespacePrefix, String namespaceUri, String rootPath)

        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.DataStoreService.LoadXmlDocument(XmlDocument doc, XmlSchema schema, String namespacePrefix, String namespaceUri, String rootPath)

        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.SqlDiscoveryDatastoreInterface.LoadData(IEnumerable`1 machineNames, String discoveryDocRootPath, String clusterDiscoveryDocRootPath)

        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SetupExtension.RunDiscoveryAction.ExecuteAction(String actionId)

        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.Action.Execute(String actionId, TextWriter errorStream)

        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Setup.Chainer.Workflow.ActionInvocation.ExecuteActionHelper(TextWriter statusStream, ISequencedAction actionToRun, ServiceContainer context)

    Inner exception type: System.Xml.XmlException

        Message: 

                '.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 817.

        Stack: 

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(Exception e)

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ThrowInvalidChar(Int32 pos, Char invChar)

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseNumericCharRefInline(Int32 startPos, Boolean expand, BufferBuilder internalSubsetBuilder, Int32& charCount, EntityType& entityType)

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseNumericCharRef(Boolean expand, BufferBuilder internalSubsetBuilder, EntityType& entityType)

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.HandleEntityReference(Boolean isInAttributeValue, EntityExpandType expandType, Int32& charRefEndPos)

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseAttributeValueSlow(Int32 curPos, Char quoteChar, NodeData attr)

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseAttributes()

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseElement()

                at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseElementContent()

                at System.Xml.XmlLoader.LoadNode(Boolean skipOverWhitespace)

                at System.Xml.XmlLoader.LoadDocSequence(XmlDocument parentDoc)

                at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(XmlReader reader)

                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.DataStoreService.LoadXmlDocument(String xml, XmlSchema schema, String namespacePrefix, String namespaceUri, String rootPath)

 

 

 

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http://nickbarclay.blogspot.com

Answer 3

The most recent Details.txt file was a bit big. Uploaded to Skydrive here:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=b63fc776cf9b60ec&sc=documents&id=B63FC776CF9B60EC%21197# 

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http://nickbarclay.blogspot.com

Answer 4

Hi Nick,

I found the error:Microsoft.SqlServer.Setup.Chainer.Workflow.ActionExecutionException: '.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 817. ---> Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.ChainerInfrastructureException: '.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 817. ---> System.Xml.XmlException: '.', hexadecimal value 0x00, is an invalid character. Line 1, position 817.

I would suggest you to post a feedback to the Microsoft Connect at this link https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/Feedback. This connect site will serve as a connecting point between you and Microsoft, and ultimately the large community for you and Microsoft to interact with. Your feedback enables Microsoft to offer the best software and deliver superior services, meanwhile you can learn more about and contribute to the exciting projects on Microsoft Connect.

 

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Best Regards,
Peja

Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" on the post that helps you, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Answer 5

Hi Nick,

I have the same problem as you...
The error occurs in the same way

could you fix it?

 

Thanks

Antonio

Answer 6

Peja: Thanks for looking at the logs . You came to the same dead end that I did.

Antonio: no luck yet. I have been uninstalling and reinstalling SPs and frameworks with the same result. It must be a DLL or something that's just out of date or mis-configured. Somehow we seem to continually get stuck on that one character in that one place. Wierd. Will let you know if there is any change.

Cheers,

NB

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http://nickbarclay.blogspot.com

Answer 7

Success!

I could see the problem was happening when the installer was performing the RunDiscoveryAction process. The installer obviously wants to check to see what SQL Server stuff exists on the machine it's about to run on. After a lot of digging around  found the remaining splinters of an MSDE instance (yes, Microsoft Desktop Engine!) that was left over from a crappy program I had long since uninstalled. I used the SQL 2008 R2 installer to tell me the name of this hidden instance; it seems the 2008 R2 doesn't have a problem with the MSDE stuff in the way the 2012 RC0 installer does. Once I found the name of the instance I went through the registry and file system and removed every reference I could find. One of these objects must have contained the characters the installer had a problem with. The installer now finally gets past the error I kept on encountering.

I used this KB article to help locate and remove the MSDE entries: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320873

Cheers,

NB

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http://nickbarclay.blogspot.com

Answer 8

@Nick,

Thank you for posting back. It is helpful for other community members who have the same question.

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Best Regards,
Peja

Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" on the post that helps you, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Answer 9

Thanks Nick!!!

I also had forgotten an MSDE instance, I deleted everything and the installation went well.

 

Best Regards

 

Antonio

Answer 10

Thanks Nick!!!

I also had forgotten an MSDE instance, I deleted everything and the installation went well.

 

Best Regards

 

Antonio

I agree with this, I had the sampe problem because in the past I attempted installing SQL Server 2000 (MSDE) on my windows 7 pc (which never worked). After I uninstalled it SQL Server 2012 installer runs fine

Answer 11

Thanks Nick!!!

I also had forgotten an MSDE instance, I deleted everything and the installation went well.

 

Best Regards

 

Antonio

I agree with this, I had the sampe problem because in the past I attempted installing SQL Server 2000 (MSDE) on my windows 7 pc (which never worked). After I uninstalled it SQL Server 2012 installer runs fine

I had exactly this problem that will resolve my issue with this solution.
Thank you

Answer 12

I must say that I have my MSDE working fine on my Windows 7 64 bit!

I don't want my MSDE removed, but because it's not supported anymore ... I'll figure out how to install SQL Server 2012 next to my MSDE ;)

Answer 13

I uninstalled MSDE, 

Installed SQL Server 2012 as a Named Instance, 

Re-Installed MSDE, 

all working fine ;)