SQL Server Express installation error: System Configuration Checker Fails with "Performance Monitor Counter Check Failed" Message
While installing SQL Server Express 2005 you might have come across the error:
System Configuration Checker Fails with "Performance Monitor Counter Check Failed" Message
As you have seen that one of the README file for SQL 2005 installation suggests the following workaround:
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Setup Configuration Checker (SCC) in Microsoft SQL Server Setup verifies the value of the counter registry key before SQL Server installation begins. If SCC cannot verify the existing registry key, or if SCC cannot run the lodctr.exe system program, the SCC check will fail, and Setup will be blocked.
Incorrectly editing the registry can severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, we recommend that you back up any valued data on the computer.
To manually set the increment for the counter registry key
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 launches.
Navigate to the following registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib]
"Last Counter"=dword:00000ed4 (5276)
"LastHelp"=dword:00000ed5 (5277)
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 that 009 is an example from the English language. The "Last Counter" and "Last Help" values are dynamically assigned by Windows; they will vary from machine to machine.
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.
Run SQL Server Setup again.
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Say the problem is even though when you look under registry using REGEDT.exe or REGEDT32.EXE for the key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib] to fix, you may have a blank values. So how can you fix this problem, as I can see this is most common way in getting such error and documentation doesn't cover entire resolution to take up.
To solve this or end the issue, you have to grant permission for EVERYONE group on that PERFLIB key in the registry, where you will get to see 'Last Help' and 'Last Counter'. Then immediately you can start installing the SQL Server Express 2005 on the machine where it is troubled with such similar issues.
