Uninstall Default instance where a named Instance resides

  • I have an issue that's kind of urgent. We have a server with a named instance on it, but we were having issues with the named instance. Our vendor is insisting the issue will be resolved if we install a default instance. So to test this, I installed a default instance which failed with the below message:

    could not find the database engine startup handle

    Everything I'm reading tells me to uninstall the instance and reinstall. The problem is my install SQL package doesn't appear to have a standalone instance uninstall. Under Maintenance, it has Edition Upgrade, Repair, Remove node from a SQL Server failover cluster (this isn't a clustered server), and Launch Windows Update to search for product updates.

    When I go into Control Panel, none of the SQL Server programs indicate whether they are the named instance or default instance.

    How can I uninstall the default instance without uninstalling my named instance?

    EDIT: Further information on the errors. These links actually send me to a Microsoft Store page telling me to upgrade to Windows 10 (nevermind that they came from my server which is Windows 2012 Server).

    Detailed results:

    Feature: Database Engine Services

    Status: Failed: see logs for details

    Reason for failure: An error occurred during the setup process of the feature.

    Next Step: Use the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again.

    Component name: SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features

    Component error code: 0x84BB0001

    Error description: A MOF syntax error occurred.

    Error help link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.5058.0&EvtType=0xA60E3551%400xD3BEBD98%401211%401&EvtType=0xA60E3551%400xD3BEBD98%401211%401

    Feature: Data Quality Services

    Status: Failed: see logs for details

    Reason for failure: An error occurred for a dependency of the feature causing the setup process for the feature to fail.

    Next Step: Use the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again.

    Component name: SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features

    Component error code: 0x84BB0001

    Error description: A MOF syntax error occurred.

    Error help link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.5058.0&EvtType=0xA60E3551%400xD3BEBD98%401211%401&EvtType=0xA60E3551%400xD3BEBD98%401211%401

    Feature: SQL Server Replication

    Status: Failed: see logs for details

    Reason for failure: An error occurred for a dependency of the feature causing the setup process for the feature to fail.

    Next Step: Use the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again.

    Component name: SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features

    Component error code: 0x84BB0001

    Error description: A MOF syntax error occurred.

    Error help link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.5058.0&EvtType=0xA60E3551%400xD3BEBD98%401211%401&EvtType=0xA60E3551%400xD3BEBD98%401211%401

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • Feeling kind of silly now. Found a blog post that told me how to do it. The uninstall in Control Panel allows me to select the instance in question.

    Thanks for reading anyway.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • FYI: for those who get to this post later in a Google search.

    The problem with my instance was that the named instance had its TCP protocol changed from dynamic ports to 1433 and then aliases created using that port number. Once I set it back to dynamic and removed the aliases, I was able to successfully reinstall the default instance without issue.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply