Cannot Install SQL 2022 Express -Failing Database Engine and Sever Replication

Question

Hi Everybody,

I have trouble installing SQL Server 2022 Express. Also, not possible to uninstall it to make a clean install, but repairing seemed to work at first.

When I try to install it, I get the error that the database engine and server replication failed.

I attach the logfile from the error report.
Of course I already read lot of support pages and Q&As, tried most of the steps already mentioned, none of them helped. Eg. changed account name in server config to NT Service\MSSQLSERVER.

I already tried working with firewall rules, enlabled TCP ports, etc., I still get the same error message.

Logfile:

Summary_DESKTOP-44O142N_20250123_193907.txt

Error:

Thank you for your help!

Answer 1

Hi @Osztheimer Enikő

Please follow the below steps to remove all components of previous installed SQL Server completely:

1. Remove all SQL Server components from 'Programs and Features'
2. Backup the registry
3. Delete the following keys in regedit:

--HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server

--HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer

4. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall and delete all the sub-keys referencing SQL Server
5. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services and delete all the keys referencing SQL Server
6. Reboot the machine

In addition, please use an administrator account to reinstall SQL Server on your computer (Right click->run as administrator).

If this do not work, in the folder C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\Setup Bootstrap\Log there is one folder per install attempt. The one of most interest is Detail.txt. Feel free to attach it here.

Regards，

Zoe Hui

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

Answer 2

First things first: what hardware do you have? If you have an ARM processor, beware that SQL Server does not support ARM. The rest of the answer assumes that you have a regular x64 processor.

My belief is that this is an error that occurs mainly in the situation when a user tried to install SQL Server and it failed with some error. The user might have tried some random cleanup and made renewed attempts. Because the cleanup was incomplete, Setup now fails with another error than it did originally.

Could this apply to you? Or did this happen on the first attempt? (If it does apply to you, don't feel bad. I think it is quite a natural path to take.)

Here is a link to an article that can help you to clean up properly: https://www.sql-easy.com/learn/how-to-uninstall-sql-server/. I have not tried it myself, but I learnt about it from a user who was in a similar situation as yours, and who was able to install SQL Server successfully after following the article.

If you are on Windows 11, be sure to read the article Troubleshoot errors related to system disk sector size greater than 4 KB before you try again. It discusses a known issue where Windows 11 reports a disk-sector size that SQL Server chokes on. This could be the cause for your original failure. Check out this article, and if needed apply the workarounds it proposes.

If you make a new attempt after cleanup, and it still fails, you find log files in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\170\Setup Bootstrap\Log with one folder per attempt. The files of most interest are summary.txt, detail.txt and any file with ERRORLOG in the name. (The latter only appears if Setup came as far as trying to start SQL Server). Feel free to attach these to the thread here.