How to resolve “Cannot install SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 2: Unable to install windows installer msi file” error ?

Question: 
How to resolve “Cannot install SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 2: Unable to install windows installer msi file” error?

Answer: Follow below steps to resolve Unable to install windows installer msi file error ? while installing SQL Server 2014 service pack2.

Step1: Uninstall the ‘Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files (English)’ through Add/Remove programs. 
Figure1: Uninstalling Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files (English) through control panel

Step2: Download SQL Server 2014 SP2 from Microsoft website. In my case I have downloaded SP2 on path “D:\Softwares\SQL Server Patch\SQLServer2014SP2-KB3 171021-x86 -ENU.exe”

Step3: Open command prompt by typing “cmd” in run box, which we can open using Window Key + R
Figure2: Opening cmd 

Step4: Navigate to folder in command prompt where we have saved the SP2 setup.
Figure3: Navigating folder

Step5: Run below command at the prompt
SQLServer2014SP2-KB3171021 -x86-ENU.e xe /x
  Figure4: Extracting SQL Server 2014 SP2 setup

This command will extract the files from SP2 setup and ask for location where you want to save all the extracted files.

Step6: Search for sqlsupport.msi file in extracted folder. I found it on below path for my case. (Remember in every version path of sqlsupport.msi can be different, so simply search it out in extracted folder, you will surely get it. )
D:\Softwares\SQL Server Patch\Extract SQL2014 SP2\1033_enu_lp\x86\setup\ sqlsupport _msi

Figure5: Navigating sqlsupport.msi file

Step7: Install sqlsupport.msi from the folder D:\Softwares\SQL Server Patch\Extract SQL2014 SP2\1033_enu_lp\x86\setup\ sqlsupport _msi

If it asks to restart the system press YES to restart.

  Figure6: Running sqlsupport.msi file


Step8: Now go to SP2 setup location and run the setup. 
Figure7: Navigating SQL Server 2014 SP2 setup and installing it.


Step9: Setup will get started. Wait for setup to complete.

Figure8: SQL Server 2014 SP2 setup completed.

Note: If on installing SQL Server Service Pack you get error Unable to install windows installer msi file. The resolution will be similar to like this only. So follow these simple steps to resolve the error. Hope this article helps to understand how to resolve Unable to install windows installer msi file error while installing SQL server service Pack.

Happy Reading :)