SQL Server Express 2017 limbo

I tried to install SQL Server Express 2017 and something went wrong during the installation process. As it turns out, that might have been an oversight on my part, but the result was that the process was rudely terminated.

Now I'm in limbo. I can't repair the installation, I can't uninstall...and I can't think of anything else to do. Uninstall hangs forever on this step:

SqlEngineConfigAction_remove_Validation_Cpu64

I have left it sitting on that step for fifteen minutes, or so, and it never moves from there. Repair doesn't hang, it just fails when attempting to repair the database engine with this message in the log:

Quote:

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The SQL Server feature 'SQL_Engine_Core_Inst' is not in a supported state for repair, as it was never successfully configured. Only features from successful installations can be repaired. To continue, remove the specified SQL Server feature.

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Interestingly, I can go ahead and install the default instance and uninstall the default instance, so it looks like I could simply disable the bad instance and work around it, but that seems like a bad idea overall.

Can anybody tell me how to get rid of this thing or fix it so that it works?

I've had it get into a similar state before. When I had it it was some sort of permission issue on a temporary folder that the installer created as part of install - it made no esemse at all. I actually ended up having to reinstall windows entirely but it was a development machine so that wasn't as big a deal as it might sound.

About the only think I can suggest is to use Add Remove Programs to uninstall each component separately. This is likely to be highly dicey, though, so definitely make set a windows restore point before you start.

I already tried that, and was able to uninstall everything except the database engine.

How much harm is there to leaving it?

As I noted, I was able to install another instance, then uninstall it. I also appear to have at least SQL Server 2008 R2, which I assume was installed as part of VS, since I sure didn't put it on there. I might also have 2014 on there, I forget, but there are certainly two instances when I look at Configuration Manager. If I leave that corrupted install as disabled, so that it doesn't even attempt to start (you can't start it manually, it just fails), what cost does that incur?

Quote:

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How much harm is there to leaving it?

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Not sure. I imagine it would prevent you installing the same version of the DB again (e.g. 2008) but other than that I doubt it'll matter if you're not using it.

I have done a nasty uninstall before... Done Uninstall from add remove programs...Gone into the registry and found all entries for SQL Server and removed them. Went in and deleted all directories for SQL Server and then restarted.... nasty as I said.... You can limit to the version of SQL you want to remove... they get there own folder inside Program files--MS SQL Server -- version number and MSSQLXXX.MSSQLServer