Hi folks

My PC is running Vista Ultimate 64-bit SP2

I have been attempting to install SP1 but had some errors which prevented
the install. After viewing the log files, I attempted to do a repair of the
existing instance, but that failed too - unable to open a particular file.

So, I decided to do an uninstall of the instance. I found an article
discussing how to do an uninstall of an existing instance and one of the
things it recommends before doing the uninstall is to delete the local
security groups for SQL Server components.

What I was wondering is how do you delete the local security groups?

Hoping somebody can throw some light on this problem.

Kind regards

Ross Petersen

"Ross" <Ross (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Local groups are hard to find in Vista. I use Control Panel, Administrative
Tools, Computer Management, then expand Local Users and Groups and look in
the Groups folder. All of the groups created when the instance was installed
start with "SQLSerer2008".

I have not as yet uninstalled such an instance, but I would use Programs and
Features in Control Panel to uninstall the instance, then if the groups
remain I would delete them. I would be concerned that permissions would be
lost, perhaps even to delete folders during the uninstall. What article are
you referring to?

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

Hi Richard

Thanks for that.

I found the list of groups. as follows:

SQLServer2005MSSQLServerADHelperUser$WIN-VZVL4QWI840
SQLServer2005MSSQLUser$WIN-VZVL4QWI840$MSSMLBIZ
SQLServer2005SQLBrowserUser$WIN-VZVL4QWI840
SQLServerFDHostUser$harveynorman-PC$SQLEXPRESS2008
SQLServerMSSQLServerADHelperUser$HARVEYNORMAN-PC
SQLServerMSSQLUser$harveynorman-PC$SQLEXPRESS2008
SQLServerReportServerUser$HARVEYNORMAN-PC$MSRS10.SQLEXPRESS2008
SQLServerSQLAgentUser$HARVEYNORMAN-PC$SQLEXPRESS2008

The link for the article I was referring to is
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143412.aspx.

Kind regards

Ross

"Richard Mueller [MVP]" wrote:

Thanks for the link. Fortunately, the related link for SQL Server 2005
Express does not have the step where you manually delete the local groups.
That makes uninstalling SQL Server 2008 Express a problem if you have used
it as a replacement for MSDE and bundled it with software you've developed.
I'll have to remember not to upgrade.

Obviously, the groups with "2005" in the name are from SQL Server 2005 and
should not be removed. Any group with "SQLEXPRESS 2008" is used only by the
2008 instance. The AD Helper service is supposed to instance unaware, so I
don't know why you have two related groups. You can delete the one without
"2005" in the name.

Also, the SQL Server 2005 groups are for computer WIN-VZVL4QWI840. The SQL
Server 2008 groups seem to be for computer HARVEYNORMAN-PC. I wonder what
that means.

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

"Ross" <Ross (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Hi Richard

The saga continues....

I think the 2005 instance is related to Business Contact Manager for Outlook
- perhaps that explains why it has an unusual computer name. HarveyNorman-PC
is because I purchased the PC from an Australian firm called Harvey Norman.

Dont worry about MSDE, I have never used it on this PC. I did years ago on
an earlier PC which is long gone.

So, referring back to the article:

"Delete the local security groups . Before you uninstall SQL Server, delete
the local security groups for SQL Server components."

If I am following you correctly, I should delete the following groups:

SQLServerFDHostUser$harveynorman-PC$SQLEXPRESS2008
SQLServerMSSQLServerADHelperUser$HARVEYNORMAN-PC
SQLServerMSSQLUser$harveynorman-PC$SQLEXPRESS2008
SQLServerSQLAgentUser$HARVEYNORMAN-PC$SQLEXPRESS2008

However, I am not sure about the component related to Reporting Services as
follows:

SQLServerReportServerUser$HARVEYNORMAN-PC$MSRS10.SQLEXPRESS2008

What do you think?

Kind regards and again, many thanks

Ross

"Richard Mueller [MVP]" wrote:

If SQL Server 2008 groups should be removed, then all groups with
"SQLEXPRESS2008" should be removed. Note that some groups are specific to
the instance, and others (like the ADHelper group) apply to all instances.
In this case you seem to have one ADHelper group for the 2005 instance and
another for the 2008 instance. I would delete all 5 groups you mention,
since they would not affect the 2005 instance.

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

"Ross" <Ross (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote