Fixed: SharePoint 2010 Installation Error: Microsoft Geneva Framework Runtime: download error

No more errors with SharePoint 2010 prerequisites installation, and good thing is, no manual installation of any components.

If you refer my previous post that speaks about issues with SharePoint 2010 prerequisites installation and some fixes I did (I found from various post), you can see that it was unable to fix and install SharePoint by installing any. I started again, here is the screenshot with new installation....

All I did was:

• Installed W2008 R2 64-bit
• Updated Windows (with automatic updates)
• Installed SQL Server 2008 R2 Nov CTU

NO additional downloads and installations, if you face for same, try again and see.

SharePoint 2010 Installation Error: Microsoft Geneva Framework Runtime: donwload error

I have been trying to install SharePoint 2010 Beta on Windows 2008 R2 (64-bit) for a day but not successful yet.... Initially, I got four issues: Microsoft "Geneva" Framework Runtime: download error Microsoft Chart Controls for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5: Installation skipped Microsoft Filter Pack 2.0: Installation skipped Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services ADOMD.NET: Installation skipped In order to solve these issues, I downloaded all four and manually installed: Microsoft "Geneva" Framework Runtime Microsoft Chart Controls for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Microsoft Filter Pack 2.0 Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services ADOMD.NET I installed a hotfix for Windows (KB976462) too. While searching, two more hotfixes were found to be installed, KB971831 and KB968930, but OS did not allow me to run them. Finally I ended up with two issues, one with Geneva Framework Runtime and Filter Pack 2.0. Anyone can help me on this?

Deep-Dive sessions at Peradeniya University

This was my third visit to Peradaniya University, we (Wela, Prabath, Susantha, Tharindu, and me ) did set of sessions on .NET, C#, and SQL Server, and everything went very well, a lot of questions..... Here are some photos: Wela: Showing Silverlight
Dinesh: Delivering SQL Server presentation
Prabath: Delivering presentation on C#
Susantha: Showing Windows Operating Systems
Tharindu: Explaining the importance of communities-Student Champ
Part of the audience

A lesson from my son - History of Computers

Thought to make a post on this, may help you to brush up your computer history knowledge too :) • The name of the first computer is ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) • Abacus is the first known calculating device invented in China. • Charles Babbage is known as the Father of computers, who invented the first mechanical computer which was called the Analytical Engine.

Be in the know

I was not in the know, if you too, read this Merill's post, it is about the history of Microsoft Office Web Apps.

Connect to 64-bit Oracle 10g from Reporting Services 2008

Recently, I had to create couple of Reporting Services 2008 reports by using Oracle 10g as the data source. I had to use one machine as the developer machine and the server. Server was installed with 64-bit Windows 2008 and SQL Server 2008 64-bit. Oracle was installed in another machine and it was 64-bit too. Here are some of the problems, issues I faced, It may help you too. Connectivity problem with BIDS First problem I faced was connectivity with Oracle in BIDS. I tried to use Oracle provider that comes with SQL Server installation but it did not work. So the solution was, install Oracle full client (Administrator). What should be installed? 32-bit or 64-bit? In order to make the connection via BIDS, we need to install Oracle 32-bit client though the server is 64-bit. The main reason for this is, BIDS is a 32-bit application. Once 32-bit Oracle client installed, BIDS was able to connect to Oracle. Connectivity problem with Report Manager This was the second problem. Once the reports are publish, I got the same error when reports are viewed with Report Manager. This is because it requires Oracle 64-bit client. Once Oracle 64-bit client installed, it started working. OLEDB Provider for Oracle or Microsoft Oracle Provider? When I google, I saw some posts related this provider, it seems that Microsoft Oracle provider had not worked for many but it worked for me. I was able to make connection by using both providers. Passing Parameters to Oracle As usual, we can use "?" for represent parameters in the query if the provider is OLE DB (eg. WHERE column1 = ?). But remember, you need to use ":" for parameters if the provider is Microsoft Oracle provider (eg. WHERE column1 = :Parameter1) IN Clause with WHERE "IN" is not supported by OLE DB provider. If you have a requirment that needs to use "IN" with "WHERE", use Microsoft Oracle provider instead.

Finally.....

IIS 7 Stopped. PerformancePoint Error ???

It hit me again, this is the second time I experienced this problem. My VPC with Windows 2008, SQL Server 2008 and MOSS 2007 was working fine until I installed and configured the PerformancePoint. My bad, I did not take a backup of my VPC. Once the PerformancePoint configured (with SP3), I noticed that the Default Application Pool was getting stopped even after restarting and resetting. The entire IIS 7 stopped working. The error was 503, Service is unavailable. I applied all the solutions what I found with my searches, but as most have done, I have to start from the beginning. No solutions, but reinstall whole thing.......

PerformancePoint Server 2007 Service Pack 3

If you are unaware of SP3, here is the link, x86 and x64.

PerformancePoint error: Part III - Unable to connect to Server - SSRS 2008

It hit again, this time it is with Reporting Services 2008. PerformancePoint allows to connect with Reporting Server and lets to browse reports in the server, but the problem comes when we try to connect with the report. When the report is selected from the Browser, it throws an error saying "Unable to connect to server". After few minutes, we realized that the problem comes only with reports that have parameters, other reports can be connected. This is a bug and the hotfix is available here. For your reference, I had blogged two more issues I faced before, you can find them here (Part II)and here (Part I).

DML, DDL, DCL, TCL, DQL

When we discuss, when I teach, the mostly discussed SQL Server related languages are DML and DDL. But do you know that there are few more categories, they are DCL, TCL and DQL. Here is a brief note of it; DML - Data Manipulation Language - statements that perform changes to the database. Eg. INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE DDL - Data Definition Language - statements that modify objects in the database. Eg. CREATE TABLE, CREATE VIEW, DROP PROCEDURE DCL - Data Control Language - statements that controls the rights to objects. Eg. GRANT, DENY, REVOKE TCL - Transactional Control Language - statements that controls transactions in the database. Eg. COMMIT, ROLLBACK, SAVE POINT DQL - Data Query Language - statements that query the database. Eg. SELECT

Native OLE DB\SQL Server Native Client 10.0 does not list out the available databases

This held our work for few hours. When we tried to make a connection to SQL Server 2008 server with “Native OLE DB\SQL Server Native Client 10.0” provider from a developer’s machine through SSIS, it did not list out available databases, and did not allow to connect to a database even the name of the database is just typed in the “Select or enter a database name” input box. We doubt that the problem was related to some network problem or to some installed components but, since it allowed to connect with “Native OLE DB\Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server”, thought that it is related to “SQL Server Native Client 10.0”. We spent hours to find the reason but could not find any issue related to SQL Server components. Though the connection can be established with “Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server”, since it does not allow to run some of the new TSQLs and specially it does not recognize “Date” data type properly, we had to dig deeper…. Finally, my colleague Buddhika found the issue. Windows Firewall Settings was blocking the Native Client 10.0 requests. Once it is turned off, connection could be established. Again, turning off the settings is not a good practice, we tried to find a way to make a connection while Firewall Settings is on, and we found. Simply, the TCP port 1433 added as an exception for the Firewall Settings. It worked. So, in shorter form, if you cannot make a connection to SQL Server 2008 with Native OLE DB\SQL Server Native Client 10.0” provider, make sure that the SQL Server listening port is added as an exception with Windows Firewall Settings. I am sure that we will be getting the same with Analysis Services too, and adding TCP port 2383 as an exception might solve the issue.

Slowly Changing Dimension: Char for Type II Attributes

I used to use Char data type for character data types of variable length columns, if the maximum number of characters that will set for the attribute is less than 10. This is what most DBAs/DBEs do. Not only the maximum length, there are few more considerations for using Char instead of Varchar for character data types of variable length. One would be, when the length of all data values is approximately same. I made a mistake; this cannot be applied in everywhere, especially in Relational DW with Type II attributes. For example, if I have to make a dimension table with Marital Status that contains either Single or Married, I can make the column as either varchar(8) or char(8), so I made it as char(8) because I prefer to make my design according to experts suggestions. Unfortunately this is a Type II attribute which is designed to maintain history, hence when the record contains “Single”, even though the same value comes with a new data set, it considers as a changed (because of the length) and inserts a new record, making the old record as a historical record and it continues with next data set... It unnecessary adds new records to the table making the old ones as historical records. So, I made the all the Type II columns as varchar columns that were set as char to solve the issue, what do you think, any suggestions, any thoughts on this?

Another SQL Server new course.

Last week, two batches, one for 2780B (SQL 2005) and another for 6231A (SQL 2008) were successfully completed and will be starting my next class, most probably within next two weeks, for 2778: Writing Queries with Microsoft SQL Server 2008, at NetAssist. If you interest to join my class, you are welcome. Although I started my conducting classes on.NET, last two years I have been doing classes, workshops only for SQL Server and Business Intelligence. Just thought to focus on two more subjects. Working closely with one of the reputed institutes regarding these two subjects, hope will be able to start them by January, 2010.

USER_NAME(), SUSER_NAME(), ORIGINAL_LOGIN()

Sometimes, we switch the execution context to different account when required. One of requirements when connected in such a manner may be, finding out the original account. This can be retrieved from ORIGINAL_LOGIN function. Not only this, the other functions such as USER_NAME, SUSER_NAME are useful too, if you need to info return from them. Thought to put down a small code, just to show the different between these functions; Login as "sa" and execute... -- Create a login and a user USE master GO CREATE LOGIN TestLogin WITH PASSWORD = '123', CHECK_POLICY = OFF GO USE AdventureWorks GO CREATE USER TestUser FROM LOGIN TestLogin -- Test the functions -- Returns dbo SELECT USER_NAME() -- Returns sa SELECT SUSER_NAME() -- Switch the execution context EXECUTE AS LOGIN = 'TestLogin' -- Returns TestUser SELECT USER_NAME() -- Returns TestLogin SELECT SUSER_NAME() -- Returns sa SELECT ORIGINAL_LOGIN() REVERT; USER_NAME: Returns the current user in the current context. If the user_id is submitted, returns the name of the given id. SUSER_NAME: Returns the current login in the current context. If server_user_id is submitted, returns the name of given id. ORIGINAL_LOGIN: Returns the original login in the session in which there are many implicit or explicit context switches.

New class on 2780B

I started another class for course 2780B - Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database. Though I wanted to do this on 2008 (6231A), this has been selected by the institute for participants because most of them are using 2005. In a way, it is good, because, doing another class on 2008 (6231A). Doing three classes per week is bit difficult, but I like it, getting more invitations, planing to have more classes.... this might stop me, attaching permanent to a company.

Microsoft XPS Document Writer cannot be found

I am experiencing this error with Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, when the hibernated machine which had PowerPoint presentation opened, is started. Searched for a solution but no luck so far, and many face this it seems. Anyone know the solution?

Are you using "Windows Services window" for changing the SQL Server Service Account?

If you are using the "Windows Services" window for changing the assigned account for SQL Server service, you may face some problems later. When required, we should use SQL Server Configuration Manager, instead Windows Services because the Configuration Manager performs required operations such as configuring SQL Server related configurations, re-generating Service Master Key and decrypts and encrypts all objects that had been encrypted by Service Master Key. If you do not use Configuration Manager, you need to execute ALTER SERVICE MASTER KEY statement manually for completing the operation.

PerformancePoint error: Unable to connect to Server - Part II

Once I blogged about this error with this link. Today I faced the same, but the reason was different. My new machine is installed with Vista-Ultimate 64-bit. I started installing all the prerequtities for PerformancePoint, did everything. Once installed, tried to connect to http://localhost:40000/WebService/PmService.asmx through Dashboard Designer (Options box), but no luck. It gave an error saying "You have not admin privileges.". I had logged in as "Dinesh" and the account "Dinesh" is in Administrators group. I made sure again, that "Dinesh" is in Administrators group and "Dinesh" has permissions for the PerformancePoint web service too. I still do not know, why "Dinesh" could not make the connection..... he is in the Administrator group. I solved the problem by logging to the system as an Administrator. Once logged in, I was able to connect and then I used the "Permission" box for adding "Dinesh" as an Admin to the PerformancePoint. When I log in with "Dinesh" now, it allows to make the connection now. I think, by default, Administrator is added as the Admin of the PerformancePoint, so, he is the only person who can give permission to others. Keep this in mind, if you use some other account without using Administrator.

Connecting to Analysis Services with the Port Number

First of all, let me tell you that why I need to connect to Analysis Services with the Port number; because the Analysis Services 2008 is running as a named instance and SQL Server Brower needs to be disabled as a security measure. Why do we need SQL Server Browser Services? By default, Analysis Services uses the port 2383. When you connect to the default instance (in my case, it is 2005), it connects to the SSAS without any problems, even though you have not specified the port with the connection string. If you try to connect to a named instance of Analysis Services (again, in my case, it is 2008), without specifying the port, you will still be able to connect, as long as the SQL Server Browser is running. Named instances of the SSAS use port numbers that are dynamically assigned, therefore they are varies. When you restart the service, it assigns a new one. Assigned port number can be seen with msmdredir.ini file in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\ASConfig folder. Though we do not specify the port in the connection string (even with SSMS), SQL Server Browser handles the request and directs us to the correct instance, because it knows the port numbers assigned. Now my issue was, unavailability of SQL Server Browser hence cannot connect to the named instance. When we try to connect to the named instance with SSMS or BIDS, it says that Browser is not running. Since the Browser cannot be enabled (as a security measure), all we have to do is, find the port number (from the ini file specified above) and specify with the connection string. One thing you have to remember is, when specifying, it should be {MachineName}:{PortNumber}, NOT like {InstanceName}:{PortNumber}. If my machine name is DINESH-PC and named instance is SQL2008; When connecting to the default instance: DINESH-PC:2383 When connecting to the named instance: DINESH-PC:50019, NOT DINESH-PC\SQL2008:50019 If need to fix a port number, use the ini file or Port property in Analysis Services, for changing.

Foreign Keys with TinyInt do not recongnize by SSAS

This is still there, with SQL Server 2008 too. I usually use TinyInt for tables' primary key when the number of records to be held are less than hundred, so applied the same rule for my newest Data Warehousing project, completely forgetting the fact that Analysis Services cannot recognize the relationships between Fact and Dimensions that have TinyInt as the primary key. As usual, had to change all my Dimensions tables, changing primary keys to Smallint. Remember this, if you are designing a data warehouse.

Restoring one File Group

Today, I came across a situation where I had to explain the FILEGROUP restore of SQL Server. Since I have not done this for a long time, I brushed my knowledge with Preethi's help and thought to blog it too. If you have a database that has more than one file group, you may face to a situation where you need to restore only one file group, without restoring the entire database, saving time. One thing we have to remember is, secondary file group (or file) restore needs Primary file group restore. If your Primary file group contains a lot of tables, again, it takes time for restore operation (Usually, database that contains secondary file groups does not use primary for user-defined tables). So, make sure that you do not use Primary file group for your tables. Here is an example: Assume that we have a database that has three file group: Primary, FG1, and FG2. In order to restore file groups, you should have backups of all file groups (both full and differential are possible). Here are steps for restoring a file group (FG1); -- Backup tail-log if require BACKUP LOG MyDatabase TO DISK = 'D:\Backups\TailLog.bak' WITH NO_TRUNCATE, NORECOVERY -- Restore the Primary file group RESTORE DATABASE MyDatabase FILEGROUP = 'Primary' TO DISK = 'D:\Backups\MyDatabase_FG1.bak' WITH NORECOVERY -- Restore the FG1 file group RESTORE DATABASE MyDatabase FILEGROUP = 'FG1' TO DISK = 'D:\Backups\MyDatabase_FG1.bak' WITH NORECOVERY -- Restore the log (if need, can be restored to a specific time) RESTORE LOG MyDatabase FROM DISK = 'D:\Backups\TailLog.bak' WITH RECOVERY

Was really busy

Had no time to update my blog for few weeks, was really busy with work: - New BI project: This is for one of the leading banks in Sri Lanka. This is the first time I am engaging with banking industry, in terms of BI. Lot of things to learn, really interesting. - New set of SQL Server questions: It is almost done, this is the third time I involved with questions making. I have already written questions to two Microsoft SQL Server 2008 exams and this is for, again Microsoft but not for MS certifications. Anyway, all questions have been reviewed, seems they are happy with my questions :). - New SQL Server 2005 batch: Done. Conducted another class for developers. Students were good, though there were gaps in knowledge levels. - New SQL Server 2008 batch: Really interesting, this is my first SQL Server 2008 class. Participants are really good, lot of questions. This course is bit different, have not taught Maintaining SQL Server course (6231A) before. I am not much comfortable with the official materials, seems course book is not so rich and found some mistakes too, anyway it is too early to make comments on it.

Another victory of Sri Lanka

This clearly shows the reality, this shows who wants to destroy the great country, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won again, defeating the international terror. How they voted at the UNHRC sessions Victory for Lanka’s fight against terrorism

PerformancePoint error: Unable to connect to Server

Are you experiencing this? You might. There are different set of connection related errors with PerformancePoint 2007. If you get errors like "Unable to connect to the specified server. Make sure the address is correct" or "The PerformancePoint could not connect to the specified data source", most probably, you will find the solution here. If you face for an error like "Unable to connect to Server" with PerformancePoint dashboard designer options, the reason might be the unavailability of AJAX 1.0. Solution is here. It has another solution but installing AJAX fixed my problem.