Unable to install SQL Server Exit Code (Decimal): -2068052294. There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package vendor

Question

I just bought this laptop to support my study for data analysis (Dell XPS 13 which run on Window 11). When I tried to both install SQL Express 2019 or 2022, I cannot install the application and the same error occurred as mentioned above. I have tried some of the suggested method such as run as administrator or uninstall and reinstall and I even factory reset the laptop, but nothing worked so far. I am wondering if this could be the product (the laptop) being defective or it is some error of the application that I can fix it. Please help me solve it! Many thanks. Summary.txt (This is the summary log).
P/s: Detail.txt

Answer 1

Things seem to start to go wrong here:

File 'C:\SQL2022\Express_ENU\x64\setup\x64\sql_engine_core_shared.msi' does not exist

This is an error I've seen many times in these forums. I have never understood exactly why the file would be missing, but my suspicion is that this error occur when you make multiple install attempts, possibly with some random cleanup in between. The error for the first installation attempt is likely to have been a different one.

Try this article: https://www.sql-easy.com/learn/how-to-uninstall-sql-server/. Some people have reported success after having followed this article. (In fact, I learnt about the article from one of them).
Also, check out this article: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/database-engine/database-file-operations/troubleshoot-os-4kb-disk-sector-size. It discusses a known issue with the combination of Windows 11, SQL Server and certain disk drives. This could the reason for your original failure.

Answer 2

Hi，Minh Phuc Le

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A fourm！

As Erland mentioned, indeed he successfully installed after properly cleaning up the residual installation traces when faced with a problem similar to yours.

The key is uninstalling properly, cleaning up leftover files in registry entries, and service.msc.

This is the thread mentioned.

• I suggest you first try to clean up the installation traces(Since you have already tried to install SQL Server many times) before selecting the option 'Download media and run directly from the ISO' in the SQL Server Setup wizard.
• Sometimes the absence of vcredist.exe can also lead to installation failure.Refer to https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170&WT.mc_id=twitter&sharingId=DP-MVP-7914
• Additionally, the issue of Windows 11 often exposing disk sector problems with SQL Server, as mentioned by Erland, is a common one. The questioner in the thread mentioned above also encountered the same issue. That being said, you can refer to their resolution process and thoughts.

In the end, it is likely your system that is causing the issue, so take it step by step, and we will keep up with your latest progress in the forum.

Best Regards,

Mikey Qiao

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Answer 3

I meet the same problem （A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected.）

I try to open firewall and open 1433 port rule ,then install again and sucessful !