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August 9, 2023

SQL Server 2016 SP3: How to Download and Install the Latest Service Pack

How to Download and Install SQL Server 2016 SP3

If you are using Microsoft SQL Server 2016, you may want to update your database server to the latest service pack available. Service packs are cumulative updates that contain hotfixes, fixes, and improvements for various issues that affect the performance, security, and stability of SQL Server. In this article, we will show you how to download and install SQL Server 2016 Service Pack 3 (SP3), which is the most recent service pack for SQL Server 2016 as of September 2021.

download sql server 2016 sp3

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What is SQL Server 2016 SP3 and why you need it

SQL Server 2016 SP3 is a collection of updates that enhance the functionality and reliability of SQL Server 2016. It was released on September 15, 2021, and it applies to all editions and service levels of SQL Server 2016. It includes hotfixes that were previously released in cumulative updates from CU1 to CU17 for SQL Server 2016 SP2, as well as some new fixes and improvements.

SQL Server 2016 SP3 features and benefits

Some of the features and benefits that SQL Server 2016 SP3 offers are:

It supports the latest operating systems, such as Windows Server 2022, Windows Server Core, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), and Docker containers.

It enhances the performance, scalability, availability, security, and manageability of SQL Server databases, especially for large-scale data warehousing, analytics, and business intelligence scenarios.

It provides new capabilities for data integration, data quality, master data management, data virtualization, data governance, data privacy, data protection, and data compliance.

It improves the compatibility and interoperability with other Microsoft products and services, such as Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, Azure Active Directory, Azure Key Vault, Power BI, Excel, SharePoint, Office 365, Dynamics 365, Visual Studio, .NET Framework, PowerShell, R Services, Python Services, Machine Learning Services, Analysis Services, Reporting Services, Integration Services, Master Data Services, Data Quality Services.

SQL Server 2016 SP3 fixes and improvements

Some of the fixes and improvements that SQL Server 2016 SP3 includes are:

It resolves an issue that causes transaction log truncation to fail on a single node availability group in SQL Server.

It resolves an issue that causes a non-yielding scheduler error to occur with Always On availability group in SQL Server.

It resolves an issue that causes an access violation to occur when using FileTable in SQL Server.

It resolves an issue that causes error messages when performing change tracking cleanup in SQL Server.

It provides an improvement for availability group listener without the load balancer in SQL Server.

How to get SQL Server 2016 SP3

There are different ways to get SQL Server 2016 SP3, depending on your needs and preferences. You can download it from the Microsoft Download Center, the Microsoft Update Catalog, or the Microsoft SQL Server Update Center. You can also use Windows Update or Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to automatically download and install it. Alternatively, you can use the SQL Server Installation Center or the SQL Server Setup Wizard to download and install it.

SQL Server 2016 SP3 download links and options

The following table shows the download links and options for SQL Server 2016 SP3:

Download option

Description

Link

Microsoft Download Center

This option allows you to manually download the SQL Server 2016 SP3 package as a self-extracting executable file (.exe) or an ISO file (.iso). You can choose between the 32-bit (x86) or the 64-bit (x64) version, depending on your system architecture. You can also select the language of your choice.

Microsoft Update Catalog

This option allows you to manually download the SQL Server 2016 SP3 package as a Windows update (.msu) file. You can choose between the 32-bit (x86) or the 64-bit (x64) version, depending on your system architecture. You can also select the language of your choice.

Microsoft SQL Server Update Center

This option allows you to manually download the SQL Server 2016 SP3 package as a compressed file (.zip). You can choose between the 32-bit (x86) or the 64-bit (x64) version, depending on your system architecture. You can also select the language of your choice.

Windows Update or WSUS

This option allows you to automatically download and install the SQL Server 2016 SP3 package as a Windows update (.msu) file. You need to have Windows Update or WSUS enabled and configured on your system. You can also check for updates manually by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.

N/A

SQL Server Installation Center or SQL Server Setup Wizard

This option allows you to automatically download and install the SQL Server 2016 SP3 package as part of the SQL Server installation or upgrade process. You need to have the SQL Server installation media or setup files on your system. You can also use this option to apply the service pack to an existing SQL Server instance.

N/A

How to install SQL Server 2016 SP3

Once you have downloaded the SQL Server 2016 SP3 package, you can proceed to install it on your system. The installation process may vary depending on the download option you chose and the type of SQL Server instance you have. However, the general steps are as follows:

SQL Server 2016 SP3 installation steps and screenshots

Before you install SQL Server 2016 SP3, make sure you have a backup of your databases and log files, and that you have enough disk space and memory available. You should also close any applications that are using SQL Server, and disable any antivirus or firewall software that may interfere with the installation.

Double-click the SQL Server 2016 SP3 package file that you downloaded, or run it from the command prompt with administrator privileges. This will launch the SQL Server Setup Wizard, which will guide you through the installation process.

On the first screen of the wizard, click Next to check for updates and install any prerequisites.

On the next screen, accept the license terms and click Next.

On the next screen, select the option to Install SQL Server Database Engine Services and click Next.

On the next screen, select the option to Perform a new installation of SQL Server 2016, or Upgrade from a previous version of SQL Server, depending on your scenario. If you are upgrading, you will need to select the instance that you want to upgrade. Click Next.

On the next screen, enter the product key for SQL Server 2016, or select the option to Specify a free edition, if you are using an Express or Developer edition. Click Next.

On the next screen, review the features and components that will be installed or updated, and click Next.

On the next screen, review the instance configuration and specify the instance name and ID. Click Next.

On the next screen, review the server configuration and specify the service accounts and startup types for each service. Click Next.

On the next screen, review the database engine configuration and specify the authentication mode, administrators, data directories, tempdb settings, and filestream options. Click Next.

On the next screen, review the ready to install summary and click Install to begin the installation.

Wait for the installation to complete. You can monitor the progress and status of each component on the installation progress screen.

When the installation is finished, click Close to exit the wizard. You may need to restart your system for the changes to take effect.

The following screenshots show some of the screens of the SQL Server Setup Wizard:

SQL Server 2016 SP3 installation issues and troubleshooting tips

Although the installation of SQL Server 2016 SP3 is usually straightforward and smooth, you may encounter some issues or errors during or after the installation. Here are some common issues and troubleshooting tips that may help you resolve them:

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