Unable to install SQL Server. Exit code (Decimal): -2147467259

Question

I tried to install it, and then after a few minutes i get this error:

Unable to install SQL Server. Exit code (Decimal): -2147467259
and those is logs files.

Summary_DESKTOP-GDTULCG_20240703_221010.txt
Detail.txt

Answer 1

Judging from your summary file, you seem to have a lot of instances. Are all these really up and running? Or are they the result of multiple setup failures?

The error in your detail.txt is one of these I've seen more than once, but never fully understood. However, I have a feeling that it is an error that is to multiple installation attempts, maybe with some random cleanup in between. So now you are getting this error instead of the original error.

Some people have had success following this article: https://www.sql-easy.com/learn/how-to-uninstall-sql-server/ If you do this, and installation fails again, please share logs immediately, before any new attempts. I would suspect that there is a root cause, that we need to get to.

Another alternative is to give up, and install a virtual machine instead and run SQL Server on the VM.

Answer 2

Hi @Ali Azzam,

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).

Regards，

Zoe Hui

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