I was using Oracle’s VM Virtualbox software and wanted to install SQL 2012 to use with my demo.  It was actually my first time installing SQL 2012 and while I had given a quick glace at the install reqs, I wasn’t too worried because you know–it was for a demo and I have lots of experience installing 2005 and 2008.  For the OS, I was using the en_windows_server_2008_r2_standard_enterprise_datacenter_and_web_with _sp1_debug_checked_build_x64_dvd_619600  edition/version for the OS.  No problem I thought–it is SP1_debug_checked.  Must be good.  This was a little too optimistic.

The installation of the OS went fine and I was able to install items from the server role console and I updated with all the latest OS patches, etc.  When I went to install SQL Server, everything seemed fine until it tried to install .NET framework 4.  Everything went to pieces.  It gave me the following error: .Net framework is unable to install.  That was it–and searching through the logs didn’t give me hints(that I could decifer) either.

I searched the web and tried all the following options

• Installing the .net framework before I installed SQL 2012
• downloading the .net framework again
• Modifing the registry to add entries to ‘trick’ the .net install
• Installing fewer items in SQL Server, but found the engine itself needs it.
• Installing a different version of SQL Server (enterprise, standard and development) en_sql_server_2012_enterprise_edition_x86_x64_dvd_813294
• Installing a different build/version of SQL Server en_sql_server_2012_standard_edition_x86_x64_dvd_813403
• Hopping on one foot while the install was going on, which was way harder than it sounds.  At least it left me breathless, which was probably good cause I was ready to hurl a few undesirable words out.

Nothing worked.  I ran into one almost side comment that there was an issue with some OS builds that may cause this problem.  I thought no way–this has been out long enough.  Anyway, I tried everything I could think of and was about to give up when I thought–what the heck, lets try another OS version.

I downloaded the OS version en_windows_server_2008_r2_with_sp1_x64_dvd_617601 and installed with en_sql_server_2008_r2_standard_x86_x64_ia64_dvd_521546 and had NO problem whatsoever.  It was a piece of cake.
And that is the rest of the story.  🙂  As, for the demo–it went well.  I actually submitted to present at the SQL Saturday in DC in December.