Platform = MS SQL 2005, MSSMLBIZ, OWC11.dll, Vista Ultimate, VS 2005, Office Ultimate 2007
I cannot un-install Microsoft SQL 2005 completely, so I cannot re-install it and finish building my new laptop. I am 5 days into this problem, and am now at my clients site without a workable solution. Here is how I got to where I am:
1. I booted up my new laptop and installed Office Ultimate 2007, including Disk 2, which contains the Business Contact Manager.
2. I then installed Visual Studio 2005, Developer Edition, Full Install.
3. I then installed SQL 2005 Developer Edition. I was asked for a Software License Password. During the preliminary portion of the install, I received an error telling me that the OWC11.dll library file could not be located. Investigating this, I learned that I had installed all the software in the wrong order.
4. I un-installed Office Ultimate 2007 and the Business Contact Manager, Visual Studio, and SQL 2005, according to onscreen directions listing the order of programs to uninstall.
5. I then re-installed (as Admin) SQL 2005. I was asked for a Software License Password. OWC11.dll was found, and the install went on without a hitch. I used most of the default options, selecting the local (default) server when prompted. Then I installed Visual Studio 2005, then Office Ultimate 2007. I did not install the Business Contact Manager during the initial install I was wary of the amount of debris it was leaving all over my machine. My wariness proved to be on target.
6. I booted up SQL 2005 and tried to restore from a medium-sized database. I received an error saying that the database I was restoring from exceeded the (2048mb?) size limit of the server. It was then that I realized that the Server that was active was something called MSSMLBIZ (I had installed SQL using the Default Server option). Investigation revealed that this is the SQL Express database used by the Office Business Contact Manager. Apparently, when I uninstalled Office 2007, something was either open or left behind - needless to say, MSSMLBIZ was still there and it wasnt going anywhere. No matter what I did in Configuration Manager, this Server would not let go. The message I got upon every subsequent boot up of SQL was the following, which I have since learned is a red herring message in this case:
An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error 26 Error Locating Server/Instance Specified.. etc. etc.
Nothing I have attempted since has been successful in removing SQL so I can start over. I have never been asked for a Software License Key since this second install, and the installation whizzes past setup processes that I know should take longer. I have tried a variety of different approaches, and followed online directions on how to remove SQL 2005 and MSSMLBIZ, including removing register keys and the like.
In the past two hours I went through the whole machine, uninstalled everything I can think of that would affect SQL, cleared out the Program Files areas (both x64 and x86) for SQL and Small Business Office items, and removed all the MS SQL folders. I have searched the registry for any and all hits of MSSMLBIZ - the only items remaining appear to be log entries.
I just tried re-installing SQL 2005 after a cold boot, and the System Configuration screen was all green (passed), and the installation whizzed through (too quickly) again. No Software License Key, no errors. If I go to Start \ All Programs \ Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - the only menu option I have (this time) is the Configuration Tools. Opening the Configuration Manager, I show eight different Services, all Stopped. MSSQLSERVER is there. MSSMLBIZ is there. (This time) I did not install Analysis Services or Reporting Services but they are also (still) on the list.
In summary, I need to run MS SQL 2005, MS VS 2005, Office Ultimate 2007, BUT NOT Business Contact Manager, or ANYTHING Microsoft Office Business orientated, ever again. I just need to get from here to there, and I think I will be fine if I could just completely remove SQL 2005 so I could start over.
Thank you for your time and attention.
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