Notes on installing Avast ADNM on Windows Server 2008 x64 with SQL Server 2008 x64

OK,

After banging my head bloody and several ice packs later here is how I did it.

So I read through the Avast support sites and did not come up with much but here is the process by which I was able to get this to work.

Please read all steps before starting as I may have put my notes in the install items not in the order that the installers ask for this information.

1. Install SQL Server 2008 (I used enterprise but I am sure that this will work with SQL 2008 Express as long as you change the default instance from SQLEXPRESS to MSSQLSERVER).
   1. Ignore the warning that "this version cannot be started" and choose "run anyway". Windows Server 2008 will complain that the SQL Server install does not contain SP1. You can go through the trouble of creating a slipstream install if you want (TFS and SharePoint crowds, you know what I am talking about) or you can just choose run anyway and it will run fine.
   2. Use "new server standalone" option.
   3. Install with default options and use the default instance of MSSQLSERVER. A quick note, when referencing this instance in any other interface, IE Avast ADNM install, use SERVERNAME\MSSQLSERVER
      1. If you installed SQL Server 2008 Express edition or even SQL Server 2005 Express edition you should change the instance from SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS to SERVERNAME\MSSQLSERVER. You could probably leave it as SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS (the SQL Express default install instance) if you wanted but remember you will have to reference it that way in the install.
   4. Make sure you install the SQL Server Management Studio so you can login with this utility to troubleshoot what is going on with your install
   5. Set all services to start as "Automatic" . NOTE: If you are installing SQL Server 2008 Express, the agent cannot automatically start and it will not even if you try to force it.
   6. Set the service to a known user. I created a domain user in our AD, IE DOMAIN\mssqlservice. You probably are fine with using the network service user but make sure you set them all the same. You can change them later in the Windows Server 2008 services manager if you need.
      1. I also add the current user, MACHINENAME\Administrators, DOMAIN\Domain Admins. This way if you add users to either the local machine or domain administrator groups they will still have access to the SQL server.
   7. Install using "MIXED MODE" authentication. This is what I do anyway as it gives you a backdoor if you Windows Authentication becomes corrupt. This will create the following
      1. User: sa
      2. Password: <whatever you set the password to>
      3. You can then login without specifying a machine name
   8. Sit back for a bit and let SQL Server 2008 install its stuff.
2. Install SQL Server 2008 SP1
   1. Again you will get the error that "this version cannot be started" and choose "run anyway" again.
   2. Pretty basic stuff here, make sure it picks up on your correct instance which should be SERVERNAME\MSSQLSERVER or SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS, depending on which naming you chose.
3. When the install completes make sure that you run Windows Update to catches anything additional
4. Login to the DB to make sure your user sa username/password works. Do this by starting the SQL Management studio and use the "Mixed Mode" login.
   1. Once successfully logged in got to Security\Logins and make sure the SA user is listed and open the properties on the user and make sure that Login is ENABLED under "STATUS". This will make sure that the user can login. By proof if you are successfully able to login to the SQL Server Management Studio with the user SA, then this should already be enabled.
5. Install Avast ADNM (get the download WITHOUT MSDE) located here: http://www.avast.com/distributed-network-manager#tab4
   1. Choose the defaults on the install and choose to install the mirror server (MUCH easier to do it during the install than afterwards.
   2. When it comes time to choose where the DB will be installed fill it out like this
      1. Server: SERVERNAME NOTE: If you used an instance other than MSSQLSERVER then enter it like this SERVERNAME\INSTANCENAME IE SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS
      2. User: sa
      3. Password: <whatever you set the password to>
      4. Avast will tell you when you click "next" if it can connect to the server or not. If it does not connect go to the services console on your server and make sure the MSSQLSERVER is started and running and try again. If you are on a domain you may need to give the full name of your server IE SERVERNAME.domain.local
   3. At this point the installer should be running and it will kick off the mirror server installation tasks in a DOS box. Sit back for a bit and let it download all the VPUs
   4. When the install is done click finish. There may be a prompt complaining the ADNM service could not start, if so click OK and ignore the log windows and close them.
6. Delete the databases by hand, DON'T USE THE AMS MAINTENANCE TOOL!!!!! It only seems to understand SQL Server 2000 DB formats and is therefore useless (NOTE TO AVAST STAFF, may want to fix this in your installer)
   1. Delete these 2 files from these locations
      1. C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\avast.mdf
      2. C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\avast_log.ldf
      3. Your MDF and LDF files may be in different locations based on your installation of SQL Server (Enterprise or Express) or edition (x64 or x86). Either way search for the filenames and you should find them.
   2. I know it sounds crazy, why delete a DB the installer just created and I am not sure what the answer is but this works.
7. Lastly go to the Computer Manager on your system and open the SERVICES section and start the avast! Management Server manually.
8. Start up the Avast! ADNM Console
   1. Click "detect servers" it may or may not come up with your server. If it does not appear type it in by hand, IE SERVERNAME, SERVERNAME\INSTANCENAME, SERVERNAME\SQLEXPRESS, SERVERNAME.domain.local, etc.
   2. BIG GOTCHA HERE!!!!!! The default login is Administrator with the password "admin" the document
      1. Direct from their docs that load up on this screen:
         1. The default username is Administrator, and the default password is admin. We strongly encourage all users to change the password as soon as possible after logging on to the server, because leaving the password set to its default value leaves the system open to unauthorized access.
      2. Username: Administrator
      3. Password: admin
   3. As soon as you login click on "Users" and then click on "Administrators" and create a new user as well as change the password on the Administrator account
9. That's it. You can work yourself through the rest of the Admin guide to customize the "Discovery Tasks" , "Create deployment packages" and "Setup deployment groups".

I hope this helps anyone that struggled with this install. You can install on Windows Server 2008 x64 and SQL Server 2008 x64 with a littler perseverance