How to Fix SQL Server Express Service Startup Failure Due to Missing System Database Files


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The error messages in your Event Viewer clearly indicate that SQL Server Express cannot find critical system database files (MSDB, model) which are expected to be located at e:\sql11_main_t.obj.x86release\sql\mkmastr\databases\objfre\i386\. This is happening because the installation process somehow retained build server paths instead of using proper local paths.

This typically occurs when:

  • The SQL Server installation was performed from a build directory rather than proper installation media
  • There was an incomplete or corrupted installation
  • The VPS environment differs significantly from the build environment

Here's how to properly fix this issue:

1. Verify Current Data Paths

First, check where SQL Server is currently looking for files by examining the registry:

REG QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQLServer" /v DefaultData
REG QUERY "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQLServer" /v DefaultLog

2. Reinstall System Databases

The most reliable solution is to rebuild the system databases:

-- Stop SQL Server service if running
NET STOP MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS

-- Run this command from an elevated command prompt
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Setup Bootstrap\SQLServer2012\setup.exe" /QUIET /ACTION=REBUILDDATABASE /INSTANCENAME=SQLEXPRESS /SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS="BUILTIN\ADMINISTRATORS" /SAPWD="YourStrongPassword"

3. Verify the Repair

After rebuilding, check the new paths:

SELECT name, physical_name 
FROM sys.master_files
WHERE database_id IN (1,2,3,4) -- system databases

If you have access to the original files, you can:

  1. Locate the actual database files (they might be in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\DATA)
  2. Update the registry paths to point to the correct location
  3. Restart the SQL Server service

To avoid similar problems:

  • Always use official installation media
  • Verify installation paths during setup
  • Check the SQL Server error logs after installation

After applying the solution, verify the service is running:

NET START MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS
sc query MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS

You should see the service in RUNNING state and be able to connect using SQL Server Management Studio.

After installing SQL Server 2012 Express on a fresh VPS and rebooting, the SQL Server service fails to start with error messages indicating missing database files in non-existent paths (e.g., e:\sql11_main_t.obj.x86release\...). The event logs show critical errors when attempting to locate system databases:

FCB::Open failed: Could not open file e:\sql11_main_t.obj.x86release\...\MSDBData.mdf
FileMgr::StartLogFiles: OS error 2 occurred while opening 'e:\...\MSDBLog.ldf'

The core issue stems from incorrect file paths for system databases (master, model, msdb) that were created during installation. The paths reference a development machine's drive (E:\) rather than your actual VPS configuration (C:\). This typically happens when:

  • The installation media was built from development sources
  • The setup process didn't properly relocate database files
  • Registry entries contain incorrect file paths

1. Verify Current Configuration

Run this SQLCMD command to check current file locations (if possible):

sqlcmd -E -Q "SELECT name, physical_name FROM sys.master_files"

2. Rebuild System Databases

Use the SQL Server setup utility with reconstruction parameters:

Setup.exe /QUIET /ACTION=REBUILDDATABASE 
/INSTANCENAME=SQLEXPRESS 
/SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS="YourAdminAccount" 
/SAPWD="YourStrongPassword" 
/SQLCOLLATION=SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS

3. Manual File Relocation (Alternative)

For advanced users who need to preserve existing configurations:

-- After starting SQL Server in minimal configuration mode
ALTER DATABASE model MODIFY FILE (NAME='modeldev', FILENAME='C:\Program Files\...\model.mdf')
ALTER DATABASE model MODIFY FILE (NAME='modellog', FILENAME='C:\Program Files\...\modellog.ldf')
-- Repeat for msdb and master databases

When installing SQL Server Express on new VPS instances:

  • Always verify default file locations during installation
  • Use command-line parameters to specify paths explicitly: 
    Setup.exe /SQLUSERDBDIR="C:\SQLData" /SQLUSERDBLOGDIR="C:\SQLLogs" ...
  • Consider using newer SQL Server Express versions (2016+) with better container support

If problems persist, check these key items:

  1. Service account permissions on target directories
  2. Available disk space (minimum 2GB free for system databases)
  3. Antivirus software blocking file access