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I'm attempting to install SQL Server Express 2012 w/ SP1 x64 on Windows 7 SP1 x64. This machine has previously had SQL Server Express 2012 installed. This instance was upgraded to SQL Server 2012 Standard, which has since been uninstalled.

Following are the options selected during the install:

  • Include SQL Server product updates in install -- 2 related to KB 2793634

  • Install all features to default directories

  • Named instance SQLEXPRESS in default instance root directory

  • Default services accounts: SQL Server Database Engine -> NT Service\MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS

  • Default Database Engine Configuration

The install fails with following error:

TITLE: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1 Setup

The following error has occurred:

Could not find the Database Engine startup handle.

For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkID=20476&ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.3128.0&EvtType=0xD15B4EB2%25400x4BDAF9BA%25401306%254025

------------------------------ BUTTONS:

OK

I've read that this may be related to a corrupt MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS virtual account.

Any ideas on how to fix this?

Thanks,

Jon.

Summary.txt

Overall summary: Final result: Failed: see details below Exit code (Decimal): -2061893607 Start time:
2014-03-24 12:08:49 End time: 2014-03-24 12:28:21 Requested action: Install

Setup completed with required actions for features. Troubleshooting information for those features: Next step for SQLEngine: Use the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again. Next step for Replication: Use the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again.

Machine Properties: Machine name: MONTREAL
Machine processor count: 4 OS version:
Windows 7 OS service pack: Service Pack 1 OS region: United States OS language: English (United States) OS architecture: x64 Process architecture: 64 Bit OS clustered: No

Product features discovered: Product Instance
Instance ID Feature
Language Edition Version Clustered

Package properties: Description: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1 ProductName: SQL Server 2012 Type: RTM Version:
11 Installation location: c:\097a5adf24ea31e1a16d\x64\setup\ Installation edition: Express

Slipstream: True SP Level
1 Patch Level: 11.1.3128.0

Product Update Status: Success: KB 2674319, KB 2793634

Product Updates Selected for Installation: Title:
Service Pack 1 Knowledge Based Article: KB 2674319 Version: 11.1.3000.0 Architecture: x64 Language: 1033

Title: SQL Server 2012 SP1 GDR Product Update Knowledge Based Article: KB 2793634 Version:
11.1.3128.0 Architecture: x64 Language: All

Update Source: MU

User Input Settings: ACTION: Install
ADDCURRENTUSERASSQLADMIN: true AGTSVCACCOUNT:
NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE AGTSVCPASSWORD: *****
AGTSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Disabled ASBACKUPDIR:
Backup ASCOLLATION: Latin1_General_CI_AS
ASCONFIGDIR: Config ASDATADIR:
Data ASLOGDIR: Log ASPROVIDERMSOLAP:
1 ASSERVERMODE: MULTIDIMENSIONAL ASSVCACCOUNT:
ASSVCPASSWORD: ASSVCSTARTUPTYPE:
Automatic ASSYSADMINACCOUNTS: ASTEMPDIR:
Temp BROWSERSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Disabled CLTCTLRNAME:
CLTRESULTDIR: CLTSTARTUPTYPE:
0 CLTSVCACCOUNT: CLTSVCPASSWORD:
CLTWORKINGDIR:
COMMFABRICENCRYPTION: 0 COMMFABRICNETWORKLEVEL: 0
COMMFABRICPORT: 0 CONFIGURATIONFILE:
CTLRSTARTUPTYPE: 0 CTLRSVCACCOUNT:
CTLRSVCPASSWORD: CTLRUSERS:
ENABLERANU: true ENU:
true ERRORREPORTING: false FEATURES:
SQLENGINE, REPLICATION, SNAC_SDK FILESTREAMLEVEL: 0
FILESTREAMSHARENAME: FTSVCACCOUNT:
FTSVCPASSWORD: HELP:
false IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS: true INDICATEPROGRESS:
false INSTALLSHAREDDIR: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\ INSTALLSHAREDWOWDIR: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\ INSTALLSQLDATADIR:
INSTANCEDIR: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\ INSTANCEID: SQLEXPRESS INSTANCENAME:
SQLEXPRESS ISSVCACCOUNT: NT AUTHORITY\Network Service ISSVCPASSWORD: ISSVCSTARTUPTYPE:
Automatic MATRIXCMBRICKCOMMPORT: 0 MATRIXCMSERVERNAME:
MATRIXNAME: NPENABLED:
0 PID: ***** QUIET:
false QUIETSIMPLE: false ROLE:
AllFeatures_WithDefaults RSINSTALLMODE:
DefaultNativeMode RSSHPINSTALLMODE:
DefaultSharePointMode RSSVCACCOUNT:
RSSVCPASSWORD: RSSVCSTARTUPTYPE:
Automatic SAPWD: SECURITYMODE:
SQLBACKUPDIR: SQLCOLLATION:
Latin1_General_CI_AS SQLSVCACCOUNT: NT Service\MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS SQLSVCPASSWORD:
SQLSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Automatic SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS:
Montreal\Jonathan Bailey SQLTEMPDBDIR:
SQLTEMPDBLOGDIR: SQLUSERDBDIR:
SQLUSERDBLOGDIR: SQMREPORTING:
false TCPENABLED: 0 UIMODE:
AutoAdvance UpdateEnabled: true UpdateSource:
MU X86: false

Configuration file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20140324_120228\ConfigurationFile.ini

Detailed results: Feature: Database Engine Services Status: Failed: see logs for details Reason for failure: An error occurred during the setup process of the feature. Next Step: Use the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again. Component name:
SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features Component error code: 0x851A0019 Error description: Could not find the Database Engine startup handle. Error help link:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.3128.0&EvtType=0xD15B4EB2%400x4BDAF9BA%401306%4025&EvtType=0xD15B4EB2%400x4BDAF9BA%401306%4025

Feature: SQL Server Replication Status:
Failed: see logs for details Reason for failure: An error occurred for a dependency of the feature causing the setup process for the feature to fail. Next Step: Use the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again. Component name:
SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features Component error code: 0x851A0019 Error description: Could not find the Database Engine startup handle. Error help link:
<> > Feature: SQL Browser Status:
Passed

Feature: SQL Writer Status:
Passed

Feature: SQL Client Connectivity Status:
Passed

Feature: SQL Client Connectivity SDK Status: Passed

Rules with failures:

Global rules:

Scenario specific rules:

Rules report file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20140324_120228\SystemConfigurationCheck_Report.htm

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2 Answers 2

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A simple and complete solution to error ' Could not find database engine startup handle' in below link Reason for the error can be

1.The account which user selected on Server Configuration page window ( during installation) is somehow not able to bring SQL Server database engine services online. Either is lacks privilege or it is corrupted. During installation of database engine services SQL Server tries to bring online database services as a internal process but due to startup account either corrupt or not having appropriate privileges it fails to do so and ultimately installation fails.

2.Other reason is when installation fails first time due to some reason and user uninstall failed installation from add remove program, the un-installation leaves account in broken state so any further attempt to install flashes this error message

Solution can be.

Uninstall SQL server completely from Add remove program

Launch setup by right click on it and select run as administrator. After launching the setup and providing necessary details you would reach to Server Configuration page . When you reach this page please select startup account for Database Engine services as NT Authority\SYSTEM which is also called as Local System account.

Complete details in SQL Server Installation Error:Could not find database engine startup handle

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  • Thanks so much, Shanky. I installed and uninstalled many times and was getting very frustrated. Your solution of changing it to NT Authority\SYSTEM worked like a charm.
    – Susan
    Dec 2, 2014 at 19:41
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After working with Microsoft Technical Support on this issue, we determined that the act of uninstalling SQL Server Standard and re-installing SQL Server Express leaves the service account (in this case, NT Service\MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS) in a state in which it doesn't have the permissions needed to run the service.

To fix the problem, we manually went through and added the permissions required as specified in Configure Windows Server Accounts and Permissions in the SQL Server documentation. Note that only some of the permissions were missing.

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  • Thanks for the hint, that was the bloker for me too. Being unable to find out how to reconfigure those rights on NT service accounts on a windows 7 station (they are not showing up in account management, which anyway does not seem to allow configuring rights), I fix the trouble by suppressing those accounts profiles. (Computer properties, advanced parameters, user profile parameters, suppressing net service\mssql profiles, then go to users folder, suppressing their folders (had required taking ownerships, reboot, ...), and finally reinstalling.)
    – Frédéric
    Jun 4, 2014 at 16:09

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