SQL Server 2022 installation error + Unable to create SQL instance

Question

Hello everyone,

I’m facing two different issues with SQL Server 2022 Developer Edition on Windows 11. I tried multiple solutions, but the problems still persist.

During the installation, I get the following error message:

I have already tried:

Uninstalling all SQL Server components

Deleting leftover folders in Program Files and ProgramData

Cleaning SQL Server registry keys

Downloading a fresh SQL Server installer

Running setup as Administrator

• Updating .NET Framework and Windows But the issue still occurs.

SQL Server instance creation failure:

Knowing that I got an installation error, I still found that SQL Server appears as installed. However, when I try to create a new instance, I get another problem. I have been looking for a solution, but I still can't fix it. Could you please help me?

Answer 1

1. Run setup.exe as Administrator.
2. Use a unique instance name (default: MSSQLSERVER).
3. Make sure .NET Framework 4.8 & Windows updates installed.
4. Check disk space & remove old failed SQL folders.
5. Temporarily disable antivirus/firewall.
6. Check setup logs at: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\Setup Bootstrap\Log\

✅ Shortcut: Run as admin + unique instance + prerequisites installed → install successful.

Answer 2

The message Wait on the Database Engine recovery handle failed is a generic error that means that SQL Server did not start when Setup wanted to run configuration steps. To understand why it did not start, you need to look in the SQL Server errorlog, which you find in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL16.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG.

If you see a message about 256 misaligned reads, you are running into a known issue where Windows 11 for some disk drives reports a sector size that SQL Server does not cope with. Microsoft has published an article with workarounds for the problem.

If you don't see the message about misaligned reads, feel free to upload the errorlog here, so we can look at it. You will need to rename to ERRORLOG.txt for the forum software to accept it.