title: SQL Server 2008 Installation Error
body: <p>I am having a problem installing SQL Server 2008 on a Windows Server. During the installation it comes up with an error message saying "Attempt to perform an unauthorized operation" with my only options to retry which displays the same message or cancel.</p>
  
  <p>I am installing this as the Administrator of the computer. When I click cancel the 'Database Engine Services' and 'Full Text-Search' have both failed and 'Management Tools - Complete' and 'Management Tools - Basic' were successful.</p>
  
  <p>Here is the problem in the details.txt:</p>
  
  <pre><code>2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp: PerfCounter calling lodctr: 'D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\perf-MSSQL$FTLIVEsqlctr.ini'
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp: Prompting user if they want to retry this action due to the following failure:
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp: ----------------------------------------
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp: The following is an exception stack listing the exceptions in outermost to innermost order
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp: Inner exceptions are being indented
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp: Exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.ScoException
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:     Message:
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:         Attempted to perform an unauthorized operation.
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:     Data:
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:       WatsonData = perf-MSSQL$FTLIVE-sqlctr10.0.1600.22.dll@OpenSQLPerformanceData@CollectSQLPerformanceData@CloseSQLPerformanceData
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:       DisableRetry = true
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:     Inner exception type: System.UnauthorizedAccessException
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:         Message:
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:                 Attempted to perform an unauthorized operation.
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:         Stack:
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:                 at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.PerformanceCounter.LoadPerformanceCounter(String symbolInstallPath, String counterPrefixServiceName)
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:                 at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.PerformanceCounter.RegisterPerformanceCounterCore(String libraryFileName, String openFunction, String collectionFunction, String closeFunction, String symbolInstallPath, String counterPrefixServiceName)
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp:                 at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.PerformanceCounter.RegisterPerformanceCounter(String libraryFileName, String openFunction, String collectionFunction, String closeFunction, String symbolInstallPath, String counterPrefixServiceName)
  2012-01-31 11:48:40 Slp: ----------------------------------------
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: User has chosen to retry this action
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter service name: MSSQL$FTLIVE
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter original INI template file: D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\sqlctr.ini
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter temporary INI file that will be registered: D:\Cpompany\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\perf-MSSQL$FTLIVEsqlctr.ini
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter Library file name: perf-MSSQL$FTLIVE-sqlctr10.0.1600.22.dll
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter Open function: OpenSQLPerformanceData
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter Collect function: CollectSQLPerformanceData
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter Close function: CloseSQLPerformanceData
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter symbol file install path: D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter counter test/help prefix: MSSQL$FTLIVE
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter unregister first before registration
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounters will be unregistered for service name: MSSQL$FTLIVE
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter temporary INI file that will be removed: D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\perf-MSSQL$FTLIVEsqlctr.ini
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter calling unlodctr: 'MSSQL$FTLIVE'
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter delete the temporary INI file: 'D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\perf-MSSQL$FTLIVEsqlctr.ini'
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter deleting registry key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQL$FTLIVE\Performance
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter writing to registry key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQL$FTLIVE
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter creating registry key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQL$FTLIVE\Performance
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter creating value: Library = perf-MSSQL$FTLIVE-sqlctr10.0.1600.22.dll
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter creating value: Open = OpenSQLPerformanceData
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter creating value: Collect = CollectSQLPerformanceData
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter creating value: Close = CloseSQLPerformanceData
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: PerfCounter munging INI tempate: 'D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\sqlctr.ini' -&gt; 'D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\perf-MSSQL$FTLIVEsqlctr.ini'
  2012-01-31 11:48:42 Slp: Sco: Attempting to replace string in file, source file 'D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\sqlctr.ini', output file 'D:\Company\MSSQL10.FTLIVE\MSSQL\Binn\perf-MSSQL$FTLIVEsqlctr.ini'
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This is the error:</p>
  
  <p><a href="http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/getfile/61073/" rel="nofollow">http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/getfile/61073/</a></p>
  
  <p>If anybody could help me resolve this issue, that would be great. I have spent all day searching on how to fix this problem with no luck.</p>