While working for my next blog I made some stupid changes and wanted to start SQL from command line. I have been using net start command to start SQL Services from command line but today I ran the executable directly. The advantage of this method is that information which goes to ERRORLOG is also shown on command line. I browsed to Binn folder and typed executable name sqlservr.exe and hit enter. I was welcomed with Error message as below.

E:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL12.SQL2014\MSSQL\Binn>sqlservr.exe
2014-12-16 05:14:43.93 Server      Multiple instances of SQL server are installed on this computer. Renter the command, specifying the -s parameter with the name of the instance that you want to start.

Since my machine has multiple instances, the error message was quite clear so I added –s SQL2012 and hit enter. and this time, I got more dangerous error message

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SQL Server
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Your SQL Server installation is either corrupt or has been tampered with (Error getting instance ID from name.).   Please uninstall then re-run setup to correct this problem
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OK  
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Well, error message as interesting information “Error getting instance ID from name” I went ahead and looked at instance name and it was SQL2014. Once I gave sqlservr.exe –sSQL2014 on command prompt, life was good and SQL Server got started.

If you get similar error, First make sure that instance name is correct. To know the instance name, refer my earlier blog What’s my SQL Server Name?

Hope this helps.
Balmukund