KB970892 update failed

SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3 update KB970892 has been failed in Windows 2003 for some reason and it is keep on stopping the SQL services every time it tries to install the update. Lets see how it can be solved in details.


Windows update related to SQL server Service pack 3 (KB970892) is been failing to install in Windows XP, Windows 2003 Environments. If you have a close look at the Event Viewer you can notice couple of Error messages related to this.

Product: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition - Update 'GDR 4053 for SQL Server Database Services 2005 ENU (KB970892)' could not be installed. Error code 1603. Additional information is available in the log file C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Hotfix\SQL9_Hotfix_KB970892_sqlrun_sql.msp.log.

Annoying part is if the Windows Update is set to Automatic them every time it tries this update will stop the SQL services which cause SQL Database driven websites to go offline.

Simple Registry Hack will fix this issue. I tried it on Windows 2003 Server and it should work on Windows XP in the same way around. Source NetScanTool Pro Inside Out Comment.


1. Go to Run, type regedit, and click ok, or press Enter.
2. Back up your registry, if you don't know how to do this, google it...
3. In Regedit, go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.1\Setup]
4. find the Resume REG_DWORD, and change its decimal value from 1, to 0.
5. Check MSSQL.2 and MSSQL.3 for the Resume key and change the value to 0 from 1.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.2\Setup
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.3\Setup

5. install the update, and restart the machine.

This worked like a magic and solve the KB970892 installation problem.