I haven't tried loading up RS7 yet, but I would take a look at the Logviewer (should be under Diagnostics on the Start menu > Altiris folder) and see what showed up in the NS log during the install.  Unfortunately I haven't done much yet with NS7 so I'm not quite sure where to find the logs other than there, maybe C:\Program Files\Symantec\SIM ?

Oh...and you're on a 32bit OS, correct?  NS7 is currently only supported on Server 2003 32bit.  Does the Altiris Service stop and start during the installation?

I am using 32bit Windows Server 2003 R2.

Here is the Log File: (found via diagnostics)

Log File Name: C:\Program Files\Altiris\Notification Server\Logs\SIM 2009-07-14 08-25-57\a.log
Priority: 1
Date: 7/14/2009 8:35:45 AM
Tick Count: 69783890
Host Name: CS-ALTIRECO
Process: SymantecInstallationManager (1544)
Thread ID: 25
Module: SymantecInstallationManager.exe
Source: Symantec.Installation.ConfigureNS.task_Completed
Description: ConfigureNS - task_Completed(): Configuration Task Restarting services... Failed: Failed while stopping service: AeXSvc

( Exception Details: System.ApplicationException: Failed while stopping service: AeXSvc ---> System.InvalidOperationException: Cannot stop AeXSvc service on computer '.'. ---> System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The service cannot accept control messages at this time
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.ServiceProcess.ServiceController.Stop()
at Symantec.Installation.RestartServicesTask.RestartServices(String[] services)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Symantec.Installation.RestartServicesTask.RestartServices(String[] services)
at Symantec.Installation.RestartServicesTask.EndAsync(IAsyncResult result) )
( Exception logged from:
at Altiris.Diagnostics.Logging.EventLog.ReportException(Int32 severity, String strMessage, String category, Exception exception)
at Altiris.Diagnostics.Logging.EventLog.ReportException(String strMessage, Exception exception)
at Symantec.Installation.ConfigureNS.task_Completed(Object sender, CompletedEventArgs e)
at Symantec.Installation.Task.OnCompleted(Exception ex)
at Symantec.Installation.RestartServicesTask.EndAsync(IAsyncResult result)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.WebClientAsyncResult.Complete()
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.WebClientProtocol.ProcessAsyncResponseStreamResult(WebClientAsyncResult client, IAsyncResult asyncResult)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.WebClientProtocol.ReadAsyncResponseStream(WebClientAsyncResult client)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.WebClientProtocol.ReadAsyncResponse(WebClientAsyncResult client)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.WebClientProtocol.GetResponseAsyncCallback(IAsyncResult asyncResult)
at System.Net.LazyAsyncResult.Complete(IntPtr userToken)
at System.Net.ContextAwareResult.CompleteCallback(Object state)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.runTryCode(Object userData)
at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeHelpers.ExecuteCodeWithGuaranteedCleanup(TryCode code, CleanupCode backoutCode, Object userData)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Net.ContextAwareResult.Complete(IntPtr userToken)
at System.Net.LazyAsyncResult.ProtectedInvokeCallback(Object result, IntPtr userToken)
at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.ProcessResponse()
at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.SetResponse(CoreResponseData coreResponseData)
at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.SetAndOrProcessResponse(Object responseOrException)
at System.Net.ConnectionReturnResult.SetResponses(ConnectionReturnResult returnResult)
at System.Net.Connection.ReadComplete(Int32 bytesRead, WebExceptionStatus errorStatus)
at System.Net.Connection.ReadCallback(IAsyncResult asyncResult)
at System.Net.Connection.ReadCallbackWrapper(IAsyncResult asyncResult)
at System.Net.LazyAsyncResult.Complete(IntPtr userToken)
at System.Net.ContextAwareResult.Complete(IntPtr userToken)
at System.Net.LazyAsyncResult.ProtectedInvokeCallback(Object result, IntPtr userToken)
at System.Net.Sockets.BaseOverlappedAsyncResult.CompletionPortCallback(UInt32 errorCode, UInt32 numBytes, NativeOverlapped* nativeOverlapped)
at System.Threading._IOCompletionCallback.PerformIOCompletionCallback(UInt32 errorCode, UInt32 numBytes, NativeOverlapped* pOVERLAP)
)
( Extra Details: Type=System.ApplicationException Src=SymantecInstallationManager

Inner Extra Details: Type=System.InvalidOperationException Src=System.ServiceProcess

Inner Extra Details: Type=System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception Src= )

Then:

Log File Name: C:\Program Files\Altiris\Notification Server\Logs\SIM 2009-07-14 08-25-57\a.log
Priority: 2
Date: 7/14/2009 8:38:17 AM
Tick Count: 69936718
Host Name: CS-ALTIRECO
Process: SymantecInstallationManager (1544)
Thread ID: 25
Module: SymantecInstallationManager.exe
Source: Symantec.Installation.Context.WizardProcess.InstallManager.configNS_ConfigureFailedEvent
Description: Configuration failure occurred. Dequeuing any additional queued install sessions.

I unistalled all of the Altiris programs I had on there and MS-SQL 2005 EE, and reinstalled them. The only difference was I installed just the bare essentials this time (the previous time I had installed the management suite) and I used Mixed mode instead of Windows Authentication. Other than that I'm not sure what I did differently but it installed all of the way this time. thank you Kschroeder for your time and help, I appreciate it.

Trent.

Great Trent, glad I could help.  Not sure that NS needs Mixed mode (I know that RS does for sure) but that wouldn't have led to the error you were seeing about stopping the services.  The method of just installing the core management platform vs. the whole of CMS also seems to be preferable.