Question Why do I have to install MSSQL 2016 server?

[winstanley_john]

Hello All,

I have a new windows 2016 server with MSSQL 2017 Server Web edition installed

When installing PLESK, I have to install "MSSQL 2016 server". The option says cannot be removed when I try to remove it.

I assume PLESK wants to use "MSSQL 2016 server" to store databases that let PLESK function. Would it not be possible to just use the already installed instance of "MSSQL 2017 Server Web edition"? Rather than installing a new instance.

(I know I can add the "MSSQL 2017" instance as an additional database)

Also PLESK is written in PHP, it will be the only PHP site on my server so I don't need to install various versions of PHP. So I've unticked all the PHP script engine boxes, but does PLESK not need one of those options to be ticked to run itself?

Thanks

John

 

[PavelV]

Hello,

MSSQL is not required component for Plesk, Plesk can be fully operable without having any MSSQL servers installed at all.

Your first question looks like a bug, we need more details (maybe logs of Plesk Installer to understand, why installer says, that MSSQL cannot be removed). Indeed, Plesk cannot remove SQL Server when it is already installed (because of complex interactive logic of SQL Server removal process you should uninstall it through Add/Remove programs). However, it should be possible to uncheck it during installation and don't install it on clean server.

NOTE: If you have preinstalled SQL server and you want to use it with Plesk, then after installation of Plesk you need to register this database server manually (entering its 'sa' credentials). Plesk cannot automatically handle preinstalled MSSQL instance.

Regarding PHP versions - Plesk itself is working on PHP, but we have our modifications for PHP, and this package called 'plesk-engine' installed always no matter which versions of PHP you have selected during installation. They are independent, and our internal PHP engine is used ONLY for Plesk panel. If you don't have plans to host any PHP applications at all, you can uncheck all versions of PHP during installation.

However, there are some applications that may require PHP installed (for example Horde Webmail). If you have this selected, then you need to have PHP 5.6 checked as well.
But again, if you have removed Horde Webmail, you can remove all PHP versions from installation list.

I hope it helps.

 

[winstanley_John2]

Hi PavelV,

Thanks

The installation log is attached.
A picture of the error is attached.

To reproduce the error obtain the Plesk Windows Installer here Plesk Onyx Free Trial following link https://installer-win.plesk.com/plesk-installer.exe

Then it does not matter if I use recommended, custom or full I can't not pick that component.

Is there an older version of Plesk that I could install? Or a different installer. We already use Plesk Hosting Edition on one server and we really want to get Plesk working on this new server.

Thanks

Jon

 

[winstanley_John2]

Hi PavelV,
Do you think it would be okay to install this with the MS SQL Server 2016 box checked and then uninstall MS SQL Server 2016 after the installation of PLESK?
Would be great to get PLESK on our server, as it makes site management a lot easier.
Thanks
John

 

[winstanley_John2]

Hello,
Sorry to chase, but we're really happy with PLESK on one of our other servers and want to put it on our new one.
Doe we know if the issue with the installation is being looked at?
Thanks
John

 

[winstanley_John2]

Sorry ... but is anyone looking at this issue at Plesk as we really want to use Plesk commercially on our server but we are not confident installing it if its going to install SQL Server 2016 as well.

 

[PavelV]

Hello, sorry for delay in response.
The issue I see, is that Plesk for some reason detects your preinstalled instance of MSSQL 2017 as MSSQL 2016. We can try to debug why is that if you are ready. please check registry values:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\SQLEXPRESS\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion (value CurrentVersion)
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLSERVER2016\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion (value CurrentVersion)
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLSERVER2017\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion (value CurrentVersion)
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion (value CurrentVersion)

Plesk sees that there is version between 13.0 and 14.0 however, if you have SQL 2017 installed, then version should be between 14.0 and 15.0

Anyway, what is you real problem with that. Plesk sees that some components are preinstalled. This means, that during installation it will not install them. Moreover, for preinstalled SQL servers there is no automatic handling of preinstalled instances. So you will need to register database server in Plesk manually in this case.

So, in your case, you can just ignore the fact, that Plesk thinks that MSSQL is already preinstalled and just move on further.
After such installation you will see 0 MSSQL database servers registered in Plesk.

Again, if you check registry values, we could investigate why Plesk thinks that SQL 2016 is installed instead of SQL 2017, but this should not affect your installation anyway.