Error While Uninstalling SQL Server in a Cluster

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Error While Uninstalling SQL Server in a Cluster

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DBADave
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

366 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-10 : 11:21:08

I am following the 2005 BOL article "How to: Remove a SQL Server 2005 Failover Clustered Instance (Setup)". The process is very simple, but perhaps the documentation is missing some steps. I am receiving the following errors during the uninstall.

The setup has encountered an unexpected error while Completing Commit. The error is: The cluster resource cannot be moved to another group because other resources are dependent on it.

If I click OK I receive the error below.

Failed to set registry settings for server network libraries. The action is SetShilohRoot. The error is 2 (The system cannot find the file specified.)

Am I supposed to do something to the cluster prior to performing the uninstall?

Thanks, Dave

rmiao
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

7266 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-10 : 23:01:56

What I did is removing sql from passive nodes first then uninstall from active node.

jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-11 : 07:46:25

use the add or remove programs under control panel, do not remove the sql instance, remove if from the cluster first by changing the sql server 2005 setup

uncluster all the components first.. then uninstall the instance from the machine

hope this helps...

--------------------
keeping it simple...

DBADave
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

366 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-11 : 09:51:17

I didn't uncluster the nodes first, which may be why I received the errors. However, the BOL documentation I followed says nothing about unclustering the nodes. There is a document on "How to: Manually Uninstall a SQL Server 2005 Failover Cluster", which I did finally try and it worked. This document does discuss unclustering by modifying the registry.

Jen, when you say uncluster are you referring to the registry modification SqlCluster=0 or are you referring to doing this through Cluster Administrator?

Dave

jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-11 : 11:00:17

no nothing to do with the registry nor with the cluster administrator (although you can actually evict the node forcefully from there)... i don't recommend touching the registry unless you have no other option (especially if this is production)

to reiterate:
for sql server 2005... you can manage the instances whether clustered or not under the "add or remove programs" under "control panel"... this is the recommended approach...

I'm not a guru but I've been playing around (rebuilding, tearing down, testing) clusters for what works and what doesn't in documentations I've read in case the same thing happens to our own system... If this is test, don't be afraid to rebuild if your cluster crashes

--------------------
keeping it simple...

DBADave
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

366 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-11 : 13:22:46

Being new at clustering I'm not sure I know the process to follow to uncluster the nodes before uninstalling SQL Server. You mentioned I should uncluster the nodes first, but I thought this has to be done either in the registry as specified in BOL or in the Cluster Administrator. Are you saying this can be done with Add/Remove Programs during the SQL Server uninstall?

Thanks, Dave

rmiao
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

7266 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-11 : 22:52:07

Don't remove node from cluster, just remove sql from passive nodes.

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-11 : 23:08:01

I uninstall SQL Server 2005 instances from clusters on a semi-frequent basis. I've never had to "uncluster" them or "remove sql from passive nodes". All I ever do is go to Add or Remove programs, find Microsoft SQL Server 2005, click Remove, then follow the wizard. I haven't run into a problem yet. I've never even looked at what BOL has to say about removing it since the process is so simple.

I always ensure I'm on the active node when I initiate the uninstall. The installer and clustering handles the rest on the other nodes.

Tara Kizer
Microsoft MVP for Windows Server System - SQL Server
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/tarad/

DBADave
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

366 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-12 : 00:19:41

I had to uninstall SQL Server a second time due to the inability to apply SP1. It turns out the first uninstall did not remove Visual Studio 2005 and for some reason SP1 would produce a Visual Studio error and stop running. I determined the first uninstall failure was due to cluster resource dependencies I added after the installation. My second installation attempt did not include dependencies and as a result the Add/Remove Programs worked as documented.

I did discover that once SP1 has been applied I cannot reapply it. Typically re-applying the service pack is not necessary, but in this case I applied SP1 and then realized the SQL Server management tools needed to be installed on the passive node. I installed the tools on the passive node and then connected to the active node to run SP1. The installation failed with another Visual Studio-related error. Now I need to see if it is safe to perform a service pack installation directly from a passive node.

Thanks, Dave

Thanks, Dave

jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-12 : 01:14:56

patching the nodes in a sql cluster can be a bit tricky but not really difficult once you get the hang of it

here's a simple guide:
1. when patching, ensure that you only have one node up and running so all groups are on that node... restart
2. you should patch all nodes not just one so when the sql groups are moved onto a new node, the patch level is still the same
3. you should apply sp1, sp2 and gdr2 one at a time on the cluster... not sp1 then sp2 then gdr2 on node1...should be sp1 on node1, node2...nodeX then sp2 then gdr2

you should not install client tools on the server... is that what you are attempting to do?

don't uninstall the instances yet... try the guide I've posted but check the versions first by moving the groups on one node at a time

hope this helps...

--------------------
keeping it simple...

DBADave
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

366 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-12 : 10:16:31

Hi Jen,

According to the readme for SP1 I only need to run SP1 from the Active node.

Run the SP1 executable package file from the node (active node) that owns the group containing the virtual server that you plan to upgrade. This installs the service pack files on all nodes in the failover cluster. You cannot install SP1 on any other nodes (passive nodes) in the cluster.

Keep all nodes of the cluster online during Setup. This ensures that the upgrade is applied to each cluster node.

I did find a MS document that says "Since the management tools may only be installed on the node which initiated the original installation, if the management tools are installed on other nodes, those must be patched separately from the service pack install on the instance itself.

Thanks, Dave

jen
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4110 Posts

Posted - 2007-12-12 : 20:54:25

Yes only on active nodes... I mainly deal with clusters with all nodes active

Interesting to note though... when the patch starts up, the progress message says... patching first passive node

Well, I've learned through experience and occassionally refer to documentations... I've also used the release notes and documented procedure on how to apply patches and so far in 2005 it's been a bit of a mess for me. So now I only perform tested procedures that works for me

--------------------
keeping it simple...

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