FIX: Error "Performance Monitor Counter Requirement" when installing SQL 2005 Express

[Rock]

You'd face this error commonly when installing MSSQL 2005 Server, mostly in Express edition installations : "Performance Monitor Counter Requirement (Error)"

Here's a brief information on the error :

Setup Configuration Checker (SCC) in Microsoft SQL Server Setup verifies the value of the counter registry key before SQL Server installation begins. It scans the computer where Microsoft SQL Server 2005 will be installed. The SCC checks for conditions that prevent a successful SQL Server installation. Before Setup starts the SQL Server 2005 Installation Wizard, the SCC retrieves the status of each check item, compares the result with required conditions, and provides guidance for removal of blocking issues. All of the SCC check items are network enabled; checks can run on a local computer, as well as in remote and cluster situations.

If SCC cannot verify the existing registry key, or if it can't run the lodctr.exe system program, then the SCC check will fail, and Setup will be blocked from proceeding further.

Follow these steps to manually set the increment for the counter registry key & to overcome this error & proceed further with the SQL server installation :

1. On the Microsoft Windows 2003 or Windows XP desktop, click Start, click Run, type regedit.exe in Open, and then click OK. On Windows 2000, use regedt32.exe The Registry Editor appliction launches.

2.Navigate to the following registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib]
"Last Counter"=dword:00000ed4 (5276)
"LastHelp"=dword:00000ed5 (5277)

3. The "Last Counter" value from the previous step (5276) must match the maximum value of the "Counter" key from "Perflib\009" in the following registry key,
and the "Last Help" value from the previous step (5277) must match the maximum value of the "Help" key from "Perflib\009" in the following registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib\009]

Note : The "Last Counter" and "Last Help" values are dynamically assigned by Windows; they will vary from machine to machine...

4. If necessary, modify the value for the "Last Counter" and "Last Help" values in the "\Perflib" key: Right-click "Last Counter" or "Last Help" in the right-hand pane, click Modify, click Base = "Decimal" set the value in Value data, and then click OK. Repeat for the other key, if necessary, and then close the Registry Editor.

5. Restart the machine for the changes to come into effect.

6. Run SQL Server Setup again, this time it won't fail

[eUK-Martin]

This is great stuff Rock.

I don't think that any one has realized the reason to post this fix here. We have searched many forums on Google without any solution to the error. We are one of few who has them.

If you search with "Performance Monitor Counter Requirement" you will find this thread to be the first one with a solution (Just below Microsoft without a solution).