Can't install ISA Server if your username contains "#d"

Tags: ISA Server

This is one of the stranger issues I've had to troubleshoot. Customer decided they were going to identify their administrative users with a # symbol (which I shall call a hash, rather than repeatedly trying to type octothorpe without laughing out loud).

Here's what happens if your administrative user happens to be called "#djr".

  1. Run Setup.
  2. Install your desired selection of components, include Enhanced Logging (this is where the issue lies).
  3. Core Components installs successfully
     
     
      
  4. During the Additional Components phase, you'll see this error:
     
     
      
  5. Try again. Same error.
  6. Reboot, try again. Same error.
  7. Search Google for the error. Nothing.
  8. Scratch head
  9. Notice that the "#d" in the username has been replaced with the folder path to which SQL binaries will be installed.

So it seems that the ISA installer uses #d internally as a placeholder for something, and using it in the username causes it some confusion.

Renamed the account, installed without error straight away.

No Comments