According to Microsoft, it can:
Not all SQL Server features are supported though.
To install SQL Server Engine only, hiding all dialogs whilst showing the progress log, with Mixed Mode authentication with the MyServer\Administrator
being an administrator and setting the "sa
password to MySekretPasswyrd
, with TCP/IP enabled and specifying the product ID of ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO-PQRST-UVWXY
:
Setup.exe /QS /ACTION=Install /FEATURES=SQLEngine /INSTANCENAME=MSSQLSERVER /SQLSVCACCOUNT=”NT Authority\System” /SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS=”MyServer\Administrator” /AGTSVCACCOUNT=”NT AUTHORITY\Network Service” /SECURITYMODE=SQL /SAPWD="MySekretPasswyrd" /TCPENABLED=1 /PID=ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO-PQRST-UVWXY /IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS=1
If you are installing several database servers, it might make more sense for you to put most of these parameters into a configuration file and use that during installation.
See Install SQL Server from the Command Prompt | Microsoft Docs for more on the command line parameters
As for your error, is it possible you didn't specify a system administrator account at all?