SAP GUI installation and its troubleshooting

I had to reinstall my SAP GUI recently and during this process I encounter few issues. Within this post I want to share GUI installation troubleshooting hints. My version was SAP GUI 7.2 Compilation no. 3.

Notice that installation of GUI requires administration right on user performing installation itself. This is must w/o it installation will abort.

From disk size point of view you need at least 1,5GB left on hard drive where software will be installed.

One of prerequisites is to install Microsoft .Net framework 2.0 prior GUI installation. Basically .Net is prerequisite for:

·         BEx tools – BEx Query Designer, BEx Query Analyzer, Web Application Designer, etc.

·         web browser – Internet Explorer as of version 7.x which is a prerequisite for GUI

Also you will be required to install Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1. For BW 7.x frontend tools you will need 3.5 framework or 4.0 framework.

First error I got during installation was following:

SAP frontend software installation has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Issue was that I had wrong version of JAVA runtime (JRE (Java Runtime Environment)). So in this case rely on version of JAVA as it is advised by SAP GUI installation program. You can download JAVA from still valid address: java.sun.com or from new ORACLE site: oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html -> JRE

From now on you are guided through installation via standard installation windows e.g. asking for target folder, selection of GUI’s components etc.

After the installation is done you can get you evaluate it. You can start check of installation via /check switch of installation *.exe file: e.g. setupall.exe /check

You have possibility to run check from SAP Logon Pad as well. While you running it pick up left corner and choose Options->System Information->Check SAP GUI instillations:

Especially BEx’s tools are having another check tool possibility. It is add-in to MS Excel and you can navigate to it via X:\Program Files\Common Files\SAP Shared\BW\SAPBExCheck.xla

References:

·         SDN’s SAP GUI homepage

·         1424366 - BW 7.x Frontend (GUI 720): General Information & Limitations

·         1425805 - Hardware&Software requirement for BW 7.x Frontend in GUI 720

·         26417 - SAP GUI Resources: Hardware and software

·         147519 - Maintenance strategy / deadlines for SAP GUI

·         1013201 - Hardware & Software requirements

·         1013139 - Pre-requisites for the BI 7.x frontend

·         918394 - BI Frontend installation check tool

·         197460 - BW Frontend Checktool sapbexc.xla

·         http://forums.sdn.sap.com/forum.jspa?forumID=117 - SDN’s SAP GUI forum

More on SAP GUI topic:

·         SAP GUI: SAP Automatic Workstation Update Service (NWAWUSVC or AWUS)

·         SAP GUI: operational system environment variables

·         SAP GUI visual designs

·         Activating scripting in SAP GUI

·         SAP GUI - where to download it?

·         When your SAP GUI will die?

·         Color of SAP GUI windows

·         Short history of SAP GUI