Uninstall SQL without uninstalling SSRS

  • We have a non-prod server that (long ago) we installed SQL Server on and we were only supposed to install the SSRS components. Long story short, corporate wants us to remove components we are not using due to security concerns. Nevermind that we've disabled the services, there are concerns.

    I'm not sure there's a good way to uninstall SQL while leaving SSRS on the server. I really don't want to have to uninstall everything and then go back to re-install SSRS and reconfigure it when our servers are EOL and going to be upgraded within the next 6-9 months. Every Google article I find is about uninstalling SSRS while leaving the SQL engine instead of the other way around.

    Anyone have thoughts on this issue? Is it even possible?

    FYI: I have not tried this out because I don't have a sandbox to play with for SQL 2012 and I can't afford to break our current non-prod setup while projects are being tested. Which is why I'm asking instead of testing it myself. Otherwise, I totally would have tried it out already.

    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.

  • Biggest question is going to be where are the ReportServer and ReportServerTempDB databases?  If they are on the local database engine, then they would have to be moved somewhere with a database engine.  Outside of that, the uninstall should allow you to uninstall just the database engine without affecting SSRS binaries.

  • Those databases actually live on one of our database servers. When we initially did the install (this was one of the first 2012 servers we stood up), we thought they were going to live on this server until someone up at corporate put the kabosh on that idea. We never cleaned up after ourselves.

    So technically, the server should just be running the client services for SSRS even though it's running more than that.

    On the bright side, I think I may have finally convinced someone to let sleeping dogs lie since we've got an upcoming server overhaul. All I had to do was go through and make sure all the SQL Server patches were up to date.

    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.

  • From what you've described, I'm 99% sure you'd be able to go in and remove everything except SSRS without impacting SSRS.  You might need to reboot at the end of the uninstall, but that I think would be it.

    If you'd like, I can throw together a quicky test tomorrow on my home lab and verify, and post back here?

  • You don't have to test. I trust that two people telling me this is possible means it's probably possible.

    Thank you both for your answers.

    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.

  • Heh.  I think you trust me more than my boss does 😉

  • crow1969 wrote:

    Heh.  I think you trust me more than my boss does 😉

    Well the more I thought about it after I posted, the more I realized that if SSRS can be installed as a separate component then it can possibly be a separate uninstall and this was a stupid question to post. I'm feeling a bit silly.

    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.

  • Brandie Tarvin wrote:

    crow1969 wrote:

    Heh.  I think you trust me more than my boss does 😉

    Well the more I thought about it after I posted, the more I realized that if SSRS can be installed as a separate component then it can possibly be a separate uninstall and this was a stupid question to post. I'm feeling a bit silly.

    If only the uninstaller would pop up a LOT sooner to ask what you want to uninstall, instead of giving you the option to "install / change / uninstall" letting you think that "crap, it's going to remove EVERYTHING" until AFTER you hit the uninstall button...

    Not a stupid question either, it's one of those things that people don't really think about because they don't need to do it too often (when's the last time you uninstalled a SQL component?)

  • I agree.  The uninstaller could use a bit better wording.  I have been caught trying to uninstall some feature or other, and thinking exactly that the whole installation would be removed.

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