Can I uninstall the MS SQL 2008 installation support files?

Javier Alfredo Lugo Rodriguez 1 Reputation point
2020-08-24T16:33:31.623+00:00

Hello everyone.

We have a server (Windows Server 2016) with SQL Server 2016 Standard, but during installation of SQL 2016 also installed MS SQL 2008 Setup Support Files.

The company need to uninstall MS SQL 2008 Setup Support Files, can I do it? Is possible that generate mistakes in SQL 2016?

Thanks.

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  1. Erland Sommarskog 100.9K Reputation points MVP
    2020-08-24T21:53:14.077+00:00

    No, don't install these. There is a reason why these support files are installed. I don't know the full details, but it is my understanding that these files are needed, and you could break your installation if you uninstall them. Not that SQL Server might stop working directly, but you could get problems next time you install a CU.

    The good news is that they seemed to have cleaned up this dependency in SQL 2017 and later.

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  2. CathyJi-MSFT 21,086 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2020-08-25T03:34:53.127+00:00

    Hi JavierAlfredoLugoRodriguez-1695,

    > can I do it? Is possible that generate mistakes in SQL 2016?

    No, you can’t do that. The files are installed by design. Some .exe or. Dll etc that existed in the folders are useful for some features. I do not know the details about that. But as Erland mentioned these files are needed.

    Best regards,
    Cathy

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  3. CathyJi-MSFT 21,086 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2020-08-26T01:26:13.263+00:00

    Hi @Javier Alfredo Lugo Rodriguez ,

    Any update for this thread? Did the replies could help you? If the responses helped, do "Accept Answer" .

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