services.exe D:\MSSQL\MSSQL17.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\SQLAGENT.EXE ACCESS DENIED

SQL Server 2025 is supported on Windows Server 2025. The key detail is 0x80070005 while Setup calls StartService for SQLSERVERAGENT; temporary success after adding the service account to Administrators points to an effective Windows right or ACL problem, not an edition issue. Do not leave the account in local Administrators. In Local Security Policy, verify the Database Engine and Agent accounts have Log on as a service, Replace a process-level token, Bypass traverse checking, and Adjust memory quotas for a process, and are absent from Deny log on as a service. Check effective domain GPO, because it can overwrite local rights. Verify read/execute permission on D:\MSSQL\MSSQL17.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn for the configured accounts or service SIDs. Re-run Setup elevated. If it fails, correlate the timestamp with System log Service Control Manager events, then inspect Summary.txt, Detail.txt, and the relevant MSI log to identify the denied object.