Since the last guide was quite popular (over 4k distinct views for SQL Server 2008 R2), I've uploaded to SkyDrive another complete step by step guide for a Microsoft SQL Server installation. This time the Guide is for a SQL Server 2012 with Service Pack 1 installation, because I prefer to see this done correctly, rather than butchered 🙂
I hope it helps save some time for those dealing with this vast task, including how to install a service pack and where to find the latest downloads. Furthermore, I have incorporated post-installation settings and validation, thus as Robert Davis states, you can 'put a better SQL Server into Production.'
Here is the Guide also in an Embedded Version ( with an alternate download on my servers if you do not have access ot SkyDrive):


Enjoy, comments to improve are welcome 🙂

If you cannot see the above embedded document, or access SkyDrive from your workplace, simply reload the page from home.

PS - update regarding Service Accounts (from the SQL 2012 Security Best Practices White Paper):

Service Account Selection and Management


SQL Server 2012 executes as a set of Windows services. Each service can be configured to use its own service account. This facility is exposed at installation. SQL Server provides a special tool, SQL Server Configuration Manager, to manage these accounts. In addition, these accounts can be set programmatically through the SQL Server WMI Provider for Configuration Management. When you select a Windows account to be a SQL Server service account, you have a choice of:

· Virtual Service account (new in SQL Server 2012)

· Managed Service account (new in SQL Server 2012)

· Domain user that is not a Windows administrator

· Local user that is not a Windows administrator

· Network Service account

· Local System account

· Local user that is a Windows administrator

· Domain user that is a Windows administrator

When choosing service accounts, consider the principle of least privilege. The service account should have exactly the privileges that it needs to do its job and no more privileges. You also need to consider account isolation; the service accounts should not only be different from one another, they should not be used by any other service on the same server. Only the first four account types in the list above (and Network Service account when running on Windows Server 2008 and above operating systems) have both of these properties. Making the SQL Server service account an administrator, at either a server level or a domain level, or using Local System, bestows too many unneeded privileges.