How to find the last time SQL Server was started? Part ll

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Brumedishetty

This is a continuation of a previous blog and in case you have not read that blog, you can read that blog first here.. How to find the last time SQL Server was started? Part l

Windows event Logs

The next method to find the SQL Server start time is finding it through the Windows Event log viewer. Explaining the details of how to open a event log viewer (with pictures) is beyond the scope of this blog. So let me give tell you in short steps. Right-click your computer and choose manage. Under System Tools, expand Event Viewer, choose Windows Logs. Once you are in Windows Logs, choose Application. The main secion of the console displays the events from various applications installed on your server. A SQL Server startup information is displayed as a shown below. The main problem of finding the SQL Server startup information this way is difficult, since you have to go through th list of events.. Since I am aware of the startup time, I could go straight to that date and time in the application log.

sys.dm_os_sys_info Dynamic Management View

This is another way and the most easiest way to find the SQL Server start time and date. The information is readily available by querying the dynamic management view sys.dm_os_sys_info. The column name is sqlserver_start_time. This dmv has been there in SQL Server 2005, but the column sqlserver_start_time is added starting from SQL Server 2008.

Summarizing the 2 parts of the blogs, looking at the Tempdb create time is an option you can choose no matter what SQL Server version you are using. In case of SQL Server 2008 or above, querying the dmv mentioned above is the easiest way to go…

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–Bru Medishetty

SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Brumedishetty

Service Pack 1 for SQL Server 2008 R2 has been recently released and available to download for SQL Server customers / users. You can download the Service Pack from http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26727.

There are certain enhancements for SQL Server 2008 R2 product along with fixing a lot of known bugs in the RTM. The Service pack is released in all 3 major hardware platforms (X86,X64 and Ia64) and it is applicable for almost all Editions of SQL Servers.

For a list of known bugs that are addressed in the Service Pack 1, refer this knowledge base article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2528583

As always whenever a service pack is applied on a mission critical system, it is suggested practice that you test the service pack thoroughly in a test environment.

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Installing SQL Server 2008 R2 Client

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Brumedishetty

In this blog let us look at the steps involved in installing SQL Server 2008 R2.

In order to have a smooth installation, restart the PC before beginning the SQL Server client installation. If the pc has a pending reboot, it would throw out a request to reboot in the middle of the installation, at that point you will have to reboot the machine and again restart from this step…

Start by double clicking the setup.exe in the installation folder of SQL Server 2008 R2.

You should be seeing a popup window as below.

In the initial screen, you will find that Planning section is bold (chosen) be default (look in the left side section), click on Installation.

Picture below shows the screen when you click on installation.

Once you are in the Installation page, look at the first option from the top; New installation or add features to an existing installation. It goes to the next screen (shown below) which does few initial checks before starting the installation. Warnings can be ignored (it may not be mandatory setting). If you find any failures, try to address them (you can know more info by clicking Show details button). Click OK.

In the next step, you need to enter the Product Key found on your installation media. Click Next to continue.

In the License Terms screen, select the option against “I accept the license terms”. Click Next. (Image below)

In the Setup Support Files step, click Install button. (Image below)

It would then install a series of support files that are required for the setup to continue installing.

The above image shows the same screen after the setup support components are installed. Again ensure that you do not have any failures, warnings can be ignored. Continue the installation by clicking Next.

In the Setup Role step, choose SQL Server Feature Installation. This option presents the opportunity to choose what components need to be installed, so a custom list of components can be chosen. Click Next to continue.

In the next screen, do not select anything under Instance Features. Only the Shared Features listed below should be selected.

Client Tools Connectivity
Client Tools Backwards Compatibility
Client Tools SDK
SQL Server Books Online
Management Tools – Basic (Including the sub selection of Management Tools – Complete)
SQL Client Connectivity SDK
Microsoft Sync Framework

Click Next to continue…

It would perform a check for the installation rules and displays the results as shown below. Note that warnings might not stop the installation and you should be looking to see that there are no failures…

Click Next to continue…

The next step displays the disk space information such as how much disk space it needs to install the chosen components and how much disk free space available on the local disk..

Click Next to continue…

The next screen asks if you would like to send Error Reports automatically to Microsoft. It is not mandatory and the installation would be able to continue even if the option is unchecked….