SQL Server Express 2019: Setup failure. SQL Server Setup has encountered the following error: "An item with the same key has already been added.".

Question

When trying to install SQL Server Express 2019, the installation fails with the error: "An item with the same key has already been added.".
The previous SQL Server 2012 installations (which have never been used so far) I have uninstalled before.
Tried to install on drive D: (preferred), but also also default Location C:, both with the same result.

Below Details of the Log File:

(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:24 Slp: Sco: Attempting to write hklm registry key Microsoft SQL Server to file D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\150\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20220614_142702\Registry_SOFTWARE_Microsoft_Microsoft SQL Server.reg_
(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:24 Slp: Sco: Attempting to write hklm registry key Uninstall to file D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\150\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20220614_142702\Registry_SOFTWARE_Microsoft_Windows_CurrentVersion_Uninstall.reg_
(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:24 Slp: Sco: Unable to open hklm registry key SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSSQLServer, error The system cannot find the file specified.

(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:24 Slp: Sco: Attempting to write hklm registry key Microsoft SQL Server to file D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\150\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20220614_142702\Registry_SOFTWARE_Wow6432Node_Microsoft_Microsoft SQL Server.reg_
(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:24 Slp: Sco: Attempting to write hklm registry key Uninstall to file D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\150\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20220614_142702\Registry_SOFTWARE_Wow6432Node_Microsoft_Windows_CurrentVersion_Uninstall.reg_
(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:24 Slp: Sco: Unable to open hklm registry key SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\MSSQLServer, error The system cannot find the file specified.

(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:27 Slp: An item with the same key has already been added.
(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:27 Slp: Watson bucket for exception based failure has been created
(01) 2022-06-14 14:36:27 Slp: SetupTelemetry: Writing Telemetry to Datastore

Answer 1

Hi @uli-ch

The full errorlog will give more useful information

You can follow this link try to uninstall SQL Server completely, and download it again from this link, please focus on your collation during install

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