Setup issue on Sql express 2017

First, Team Foundation Server is not supported in Microsoft Q&A. Given that this is quite an old product, I don't know if it is supported anywhere these days.

The error message suggests that you need to install SQL Server first. Then again, I think TFS defaults to use SQL Server Express, and in that case the instance name would be SQLEXPRESS. So maybe you have gone lost somewhere in the configuration. That could be worth checking out. Else, you would need to go ahead and install SQL Server first.

The error shown in the Team Foundation Server configuration wizard means there is no SQL Server Database Engine instance named MSSQLSERVER on the machine. A default SQL instance (or a correctly named instance) must exist before TFS configuration can continue.

To resolve this:

1. Install SQL Server 2017 Express (or another supported SQL Server edition) on the same machine or on a separate SQL Server machine.
2. During SQL Server setup, on the Instance Configuration page, either:
   • Choose Default instance (this creates the MSSQLSERVER instance that TFS is expecting), or
   • Choose Named instance and give it a name, then later point the TFS configuration wizard to that named instance instead of MSSQLSERVER.
3. Complete SQL Server setup (ensure the Database Engine feature is installed).
4. Rerun the TFS readiness checks and continue configuration, specifying the installed SQL instance.

The instance is created as part of SQL Server setup; it cannot be created from the TFS wizard alone.

References:

• Install SQL Server from the Installation Wizard (Setup)
• Installation Wizard help