I’m trying to set up SQL Server 2019 Express on my Windows 10 Home machine using the basic setup options. Everything seems to go fine during the installation process, but right at the end I get hit with this frustrating error message.
The setup fails and shows me an error about not being able to locate the Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server. It mentions something about a missing ‘msodbcsql.msi’ file and suggests I try installing again with a valid copy of this package.
The exit code I’m getting is -2068052310 if that helps anyone figure out what’s going wrong. I’m really confused about why the installer is even looking for this particular driver component. Has anyone else run into this issue before? I have the full installation log saved if more details would be useful for troubleshooting.
This issue often arises when the SQL Server setup cannot extract or access the necessary ODBC driver files. The exit code you’ve encountered typically indicates that your installation package may be corrupted or not fully downloaded. I’ve experienced a similar situation on a system with strict user permissions. To resolve this, I recommend downloading the full installation media instead of relying on the web installer, as it includes all necessary components. Additionally, ensure that you have the latest Visual C++ Redistributables installed, as the ODBC driver relies on them. If the problem persists, consider downloading the Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 directly from Microsoft’s official website and install it before running the SQL Server setup again.
same issue hit me last month! it’s usually temp folder permissions during setup. run the installer as admin and check you’ve got enough space in your temp directory. also worth checking if antivirus is blocking the msi extraction - mine kept quarantining the odbc files.
hmm, that’s interesting - where are you getting the installer? directly from microsoft or a cached version? the basic installer sometimes doesn’t include everything it needs. try running windows update first, then install sql server. also, what happens if you download odbc driver 17 separately and install it before sql setup?