SQL SERVER – Installation Error – INSTALLSHAREDDIR parameter is not valid because this directory is compressed or is in a compressed directory

One of my blog reader contacted me for assistance. Here is his email:

Hello Pinal,
I am trying to install SQL Server on my laptop but getting below errors:

  • SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.DirectoryAttributesMissmatch: Folder C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server has an unsupported attribute (Compressed) set. Please resolve this issue by removing the unsupported attribute from the folder using folder properties dialog.
  • SqlServer.Configuration.SetupExtension.CompressedDirException: The specified directory, “C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\”, for the INSTALLSHAREDDIR parameter is not valid because this directory is compressed or is in a compressed directory. Specify a directory that is not compressed.
  • SqlServer.Configuration.SetupExtension.CompressedDirException: The specified directory, “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\”, for the INSTALLSHAREDWOWDIR parameter is not valid because this directory is compressed or is in a compressed directory. Specify a directory that is not compressed.

Can you help me in understanding the error and the fix of the issue?

Since the error messages were talking about compression so I checked MSDN to find whether SQL can be installed on compressed directory or not. And I found https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506.aspx (Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server). This says “SQL Server Setup will block installations on read-only, mapped, or compressed drives”

Having said all this, in this era of faster disks and infinite storage. I am still wondering how many of you out there is using compression on your disks for files stored by applications? If we read the message it, the solution is simple. Here are the steps to un-compress a folder.

  • On the desired folder (in our case “C:\Program Files”) right click and go to properties.
  • Click on “Advanced” button.
  • Uncheck the box “Compress the drive to save space”
  • Click Apply and then Ok.
  • Let the process finish.

SQL SERVER - Installation Error - INSTALLSHAREDDIR parameter is not valid because this directory is compressed or is in a compressed directory compress-01

Later I got message from the reader that he was able to install SQL without any further issues. As I say always, most of the error messages are self-explanatory. All we need is to understand how the system is being used. In this context it is worth to know there are few KB Articles (231347)

Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)

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