Here is the error message from the summary.txt file:

Product Installation Status
Product                   : Setup Support Files
Product Version (Previous): 2047
Product Version (Final)   : 
Status                    : Failure
Log File                  : C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Hotfix\Redist9_Hotfix_KB921896_SqlSupport.msi.log
Error Number              : 1260
Error Description         : MSP Error: 1260  Windows cannot open this program because it has been prevented by a software restriction policy. For more information, open Event Viewer or contact your system administrator.

I have already installed service pack 1 without issue and am not aware of any software restriction policies that have been put in place. I installed SQL Server 2005 recently with service pack 2 (on the same server) and did not come across this problem before so I am a bit confused.

Hi

Sounds like you have a GPO preventing you from installing this. 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc737011(v=ws.10).aspx

The GPO message turned out to be a complete red herring. Here's how I resolved it:

Go to the Add or Remove Programs section of Control Panel and remove the SQL Server Setup Support Files.

Browse to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootsrap\Cache\SQLSupport\x86\1033 and run SqlSupport.msi

Run the Service Pack 2 installer again, the Setup Support Files should show status 'Upgraded' on the feature selection page. The rest of the installation should complete successfully.

I hope this helps!

• Proposed as answer by Edward van BiljonMVP Tuesday, September 02, 2014 11:41 AM
• Marked as answer by Alex Shallcross Tuesday, September 02, 2014 12:00 PM
• Edited by Alex Shallcross Tuesday, September 02, 2014 12:00 PM Confusion

Hi Alex,

Thanks for coming back to us and sharing the solution with us.

Best regards,

Frank Shen

This worked but the .MSI file was not even there to upgrade. I had to get it from a different box, then followed these steps. Thanks.

the solution not work for me .
1. I can't find C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootsrap\Cache\SQLSupport\x86\1033\SqlSupport.msi

2. without support tools, SP3 installation failed. TOO

I didn't have it as well but you can find it by extracting the contents of SP file, so execute

PathandNameOfSPfile /extract

Under that path you will have the folder 'hotfixsqlsupport\files' and the sqlsupport.msi is there. Execute it after removing the Support Files from the Add/Remove programs.

After that, execute again the SP and you should apply it successfully.

• Edited by Apposai Wednesday, July 08, 2015 8:26 AM

Hello Alex,

Wanted to say thanks for your solution, it brought me to the resolution for the following errors during the MSSQL Server 2005 Service Pack installation. I decided to describe the procedure in some  more detail since it cost quite a bit of time to resolve this darn problem, and this might help others...

PROBLEMS / ERROR MESSAGES

(During SP2 installation attempt): A recently applied update, KB921896, failed to install

(During SP4  installation attempt): A recently applied update, KB2463332, failed to install

The general idea here is related to the SqlSupport.msi file and the fact that it needs to be upgraded to the SP4 version.

I successfully resolved the issue as follows:

1.

Uninstall the Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files (English) through Add/Remove programs.  (NOTE: This is the SP0 version that we need to replace by the SP4 version)

2.Download SP4 from MS and locate the SP4 setup file locally

E.g. For SP4, the file name is 'SQLServer2005SP4-KB2463332-x86-ENU.exe'

3.Extract the files in SP4:

-          Open the command prompt (cmd.exe)

-          Navigate to the folder in which the SP4 file is located

Cd D:\INSTALL\Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - SP4

-          Run the following command to extract the files in the SP4-file:

SQLServer2005SP4-KB2463332-x86-ENU.exe /x

-          Extract to a temporary folder, e.g. the following folder:

D:\INSTALL\Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - SP4\temp

4.  Locate the SqlSupport.MSI installer    (SP4 version)

E.g. D:\INSTALL\Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - SP4\temp\hotfixsqlsupport\files

5.Install SqlSupport.MSI (SP4 version) from this folder.

6.Restart the original installation by using the SP4 installation setup file.

NOTE: The Setup Support Files now shows status Upgraded, since it has been upgraded already to the SP4 version. Therefore, the installer will skip installation of the SqlSupport.MSI file.

7.That's it !  The installation of SP4 now completes successfully !

• Edited by mroset 7 hours 21 minutes ago more text changes