how to thoroughly un-install a SQL server?

[Former Member]

Please provide the method. Thanks a lot!

Pints guaranteed.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

when u selected to unistall the SQL server from control panel,what all components u selected?

Also go to start->all programs check if the MSSQL server 2005 program still exists there or not?

check whther u r able to open SQL server studio and check in services whther any related to SQL exists

Rohit

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

In the registry. Best regards!

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

hey go to regedit from the command prompt,take the backup of registry before making any changes

go to the node Hkey local machine

Delete the following keys from the registry if they exist:

Hkey local machine\ Software\ Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server

Hkey local machine\ Software\ Microsoft\Olap Server

Hkey local machine\ Software\ Microsoft\SQL Redist

Let me know if this helps

Rohit

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Rohit:

You only list 3 entries to delete.

However I see many more than 3 SQL related entries in the registry.

Please advise. Thanks!

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

hii

Can u list out all the entries that u can see

Rohit

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Too many such as

sqlwb.sqlplan.9.0

sqlwb.ssmsasproj.9.0

....

Thanks!

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

c z,

was it properly unistalled,check the services whether any related to SQL is still there

Rohit

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Yes, there are many SQL related services on the service panel.

Please advise how to get rid of them.

Thanks!

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

In Add or Remove Programs, check which exists for you and uninstall all SQL Server 2005 components in the following order:

SQL Server 2005

SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services

SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services

SQL Server 2005 Notification Services

SQL Server 2005 Integration Services

SQL Server 2005 Tools

SQL Server 2005 Books Online

MSXML 6.0 Parser

SQLXML4

SQL Server VSS Writer

SQL Server 2005 Backward Compatibility

Anything else that is related to SQL Server 2005

SQL Server Native Client

SQL Server setup support files

This might help

Rohit

[Former Member]

hello c z

so whats the last on ur unistallation

were you successfully able to uninstall

Rohit

[Former Member]

I am soory that I came in late today.

I do NOT see anything you listed above anymore but there are still SQL related

entries in registry.

Please advise. Thanks!

[Former Member]

Rohit:

Should I also remove MSXML6.0 server pack? Thanks!

[Former Member]

hi c z

In add or remove programs,check if any software related to SQL is there like:

SQL Server 2005

SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services

SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services

SQL Server 2005 Notification Services

SQL Server 2005 Integration Services

SQL Server 2005 Tools

SQL Server 2005 Books Online

MSXML 6.0 Parser

SQLXML4

SQL Server VSS Writer

SQL Server 2005 Backward Compatibility

Anything else that is related to SQL Server 2005

SQL Server Native Client

SQL Server setup support files

Check this on both nodes and let me know

Rohit

[Former Member]

None of the items in your list is there anymore, except MSXML6.0 server pack.

Re-image is the only way to clean? Thanks!

[Former Member]

Hey u can uninstall that?

well what do you mean by re-image

[Former Member]

I mean re-install OS. Thanks!

[Former Member]

well than that should solve youe issue now

Rohit

[Former Member]

well c z

have u been able to reolve it

[Former Member]

Hi,

Before you uninstall SQL Server 2005

Back up the data

You may have databases that you want to save in the present state. You may also want to save changes that were made to the default databases. If either case is true, make sure that you have a good backup of the data before you follow the steps in this article. Alternatively, save a copy of all the data and of all the log files. Save these copies in a folder other than the MSSQL folder. The MSSQL folder is deleted as part of the uninstallation process.

The files that you must save include the following database files. These files are installed as part of SQL Server 2005:

Distmdl.*

Master.*

Mastlog.*

Model.*

Modellog.*

Msdbdata.*

Msdblog.*

Mssqlsystemresource.*

Northwnd.* (This database is an optional installation.)

Pubs.*

Pubs_log.*

Tempdb.*

Templog.*

ReportServer[$InstanceName] (This is the Report Server default database.)

ReportServer[$InstanceName]TempDB (This is the Report Server default temporary database.)

Delete the local security groups

As part of the uninstallation process, delete the local security groups for the SQL Server 2005 components. For more information, see the "Setting up Windows service accounts" topic in SQL Server 2005 Books Online, or visit the following MSDN Web site:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143504.aspx (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143504.aspx)

Save or rename the SQL Server Reporting Services folders

If you use the SQL Server installation together with SQL Server Reporting Services, save or rename the following folders and subfolders:

Default path\Reporting Services

Default path\MSSQL\Reporting Services

Default path\SQL Server instance name\Reporting Services

Default path\90\Tools\Reporting Services

Note Default path is a placeholder for %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server. If you used the Reporting Services Configuration tool to configure the installation, the names may differ from the names in this list. Additionally, the databases may be located on a remote computer that is running SQL Server.

Stop all SQL Server services

We recommend that you stop all SQL Server services before you uninstall the SQL Server 2005 components. Active connections may prevent the uninstallation process from finishing successfully.

Use an account that has the required rights

Log on to the server by using the SQL Server 2005 service account or by using an account that has equivalent rights. For example, log on to the server by using an account that is a member of the local Administrators group.

Back to the top

How to uninstall a stand-alone instance of SQL Server 2005 manually

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

Step 1: Make sure that the Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files component is installed

In Add or Remove Programs, make sure that Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files appears in the list of installed programs. If Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files appears in the list, go to the "Step 2: Run the command to uninstall the SQL Server components" section.

If Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files does not appear in the list, install this component before you continue. To install this component, follow these steps:

Locate the original SQL Server 2005 installation media.

To install the support files, double-click the Servers\setup\sqlsupport.msi file.

Note In the "Step 5: Uninstall the Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files component" section, you uninstall this component.

Step 2: Run the command to uninstall the SQL Server components

At a command prompt, run the following command:

"%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Setup Bootstrap\ARPWrapper.exe /Remove"

Uninstall the SQL Server components one at a time until all the SQL Server components are uninstalled.

Note Add or Remove Programs also runs the ARPWrapper.exe program by using the /Remove option. However, the reference to the ARPWrapper.exe program may have been deleted.

If you have uninstalled SQL Server Reporting Services, you must perform the following tasks:

Delete the Reporting Services virtual directories

Use Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager to delete the following virtual directories:

ReportServer[$InstanceName

Reports[$InstanceName

Delete the ReportServer application pool

Use IIS Manager to delete the ReportServer application pool.

Also refer to link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909967

Regards

Rohit

[Former Member]

Hi,

1.Uninstall SQL Server 2000 Database and Analysis Services components from control panel -> add\remove programs2.Reboot the Server3.Delete the Microsoft Analysis Services & Microsoft SQL Server folders in Windows Explorer under X:\Program Files if available4.Delete the following keys from the registry if they exist: Hkey local machine\ Software\ Microsoft\ A)Microsoft SQL ServerB)MSSQLServerC)Olap ServerD)SQL Redist

Let me know if this helps

Rohit

[Former Member]

Thank you!

Your method is the simplest one I see.

Mine is a clustered SQL server on 2 nodes.

Could you tell whether your method is OK for both nodes?

Regards!

[Former Member]

Yes C Z,

you have to move all the services to one node and then uninstall and then follow it up for 2nd Node

Hope it helps

Rohit

[Former Member]

Thanks!

Here is my action plan:

1) move all services to node B

2) un-install SQLserver at node A

3) un-install SQLserver at node B.

Please help verify. Thanks!

[Former Member]

Hello C Z,

for a clustered node,follow this method:

To begin the uninstallation process, launch Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.

Select the SQL Server 2005 component to uninstall, and then click Remove. This will launch the SQL Server 2005 Installation Wizard.

On the Component Selection page, select Remove SQL Server 2005 instance components and then click the instance name and common components to uninstall. To continue, click Next.

On the Remote Login Information page, provide the password for the administrator account on all nodes of the clustered instance. To continue, click Next.

On the Confirmation page, verify the selections for SQL Server components that will be removed. To continue with the uninstallation process, click Finish.

The SQL Server Installation Wizard will remove SQL Server 2005 components from your computer. If Setup requires access to the SQL Server 2005 installation media, you will be prompted to insert the CD or DVD into the CD or DVD drive. The CD or DVD used to uninstall SQL Server must have the same build number as the SQL Server instance you are trying to uninstall. For network installations, Setup must have access to the network build folder.

The SQL Server System Configuration Checker will scan your computer's existing configuration. On the Welcome page, click Next. After the System Configuration Checker finishes its scan, click Next to continue.

The Setup Progress page will display status as it removes SQL Server 2005 from your computer. On the Completing the Microsoft SQL Server Installation Wizard page, you can view the Setup summary log by clicking the link provided on this page. To exit the SQL Server Installation Wizard, click Finish.

Let me know if it helps

Rohit

[Former Member]

hello c z

did u check the last method,I think this one is more suitable

Please refer to this link:http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms190438(SQL.90).aspx

Rohit

[Former Member]

hello c z

did u try that?

was it successful

Rohit

[Former Member]

I will let you know once I am done. Thanks and regards.

[Former Member]

Rohit:

I did what you said. Nothing about SQL left at add/remove software panel.

Howevre, many SQL related entries still are there. Please help more. It must be clean

so that we can install others.

Thanks!!

[Former Member]

Hello C Z,

where can u find the entries

Rohit