Failed installation of SQL 2012 on Windows Server Core I'm in the process of building the lab for 70-462 exam.  On page 49 of the text, it provides the command to install SQL 2012 on Windows Server Core:

Setup.exe /qs /Action=install /Features=SQLEngine,IS,Conn
/InstanceName=MSSQLServer /SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS="Contoso\kim_akers"
/IAcceptSQLServerLicenseTerms


When I run this code, it appears things are running fine, the GUI window comes up and shows progress, then all the sudden it quits, the GUI goes away, and then I'm left with the following at the CLI:

The following error occurred:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Error restult: -2147467261
Result facitlity code: 0
Result error code: 16387

Please review the summary.txt log for further details


I've done some searching and haven't come up with much.  Further, I don't know how to access this "summary.txt" file as it isn't anywhere to be found on the C:\ drive, so I can't see what file is stating.

Other details:


This is a lab built on top of Windows 8.1 (x64) using the Hyper-V feature.
16 GB of RAM, with 2GB installed for each
Huge hard drive
8-core CPU
The same ISO/DVD was used to install all the graphical versions of
SQL server, so I don't think it is corrupt download
All OSes are x64 Windows Server 2008 R2
SQL Server 2012 x64 SP1 (I've also tried with SQL 2012 minus SP1)


If anything else is needed, let me know.

Edit #1 5-10-15 1:15pm CST

When I execute the dir command in the folder suggested by Shanky, I get:


(DIR)    Datastore_ComponentUpdate
(DIR)    Datastore_GlobalRules
(DIR)    resources
(DIR)    Watson_1
Detail_ComponentUpdate.txt
Detail_GlobalRules.txt
Registry_SOFTWARE_Microsoft_MSSQLServer.reg_
Settings.xml
Setting_GlobalRules.xml
SQL-CORE_20150510_091104_Watson_ComponentUpdate.txt
Summary_SQL-CORE_20150510_091104_ComponentUpdate.txt
Summary_SQL-CORE-20150510_091104_GlobalRles.txt
SystemConfigurationCheck_Report.htm
I figured out the issue after doing some more searching and trial &amp; error.

The process I used for finding the issue:

Started with the CLI and ran the following command:

This will provide a list of all features that are enabled and disabled

Dism /online /get-features /format:table


Next you use the following command to enable needed features

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:&lt;featurename&gt; 


Example:

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell


ALL of the following features need to be enabled for the installation to be successful:


NetFx2-ServerCore
NetFx2-ServerCore-WOW64
NetFx3-ServerCore
NetFx3-ServerCore-WOW64
MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell
MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell-WOW64


When I posted this question, I had all, but “NetFx3-ServerCore-WOW64” enabled.  Further, my problem was an assumption on my part.  I assumed that these features would be installed along with SQL setup, this wasn’t the case from the CORE installation, you need to make sure these features are installed/enabled BEFORE the SQL 2012 installation begins.  When I performed the GUI-based installations, I didn’t have worry about enabling the aforementioned features.

Moral of the story…DON’T ASSUME ANYTHING!  ALWAYS check prerequisites if you’re having installation problems for any software/hardware.