Problem connecting to SQL Server 2005 default instance on my laptop running
under vista

Trying to re-install to solve problem

Cannot uninstall existing setup as the system erroneously reports that there
is another installation still running. When I dig into the log it tells me
that the installation process failed to grab the execution mutex

I have restarted my latop several times but no difference

There is no other installation program running but obviously a previous
installation failed to release the mutex

Is there anyway to zap or reset the mutex t force the un-install?

Alternative is to re-install vista from scratch but this would cause me
other major problems.

Any appreciated.

Joe

All else failed, you always have the option of uninstalling it manually. See
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909967

Linchi

"Joe Kelly" wrote:

> Problem connecting to SQL Server 2005 default instance on my laptop running
> under vista
>
> Trying to re-install to solve problem
>
> Cannot uninstall existing setup as the system erroneously reports that there
> is another installation still running. When I dig into the log it tells me
> that the installation process failed to grab the execution mutex
>
> I have restarted my latop several times but no difference
>
> There is no other installation program running but obviously a previous
> installation failed to release the mutex
>
> Is there anyway to zap or reset the mutex t force the un-install?
>
> Alternative is to re-install vista from scratch but this would cause me
> other major problems.
>
> Any appreciated.
>
> Joe

Yes. I had already tried that. When I get to the point where I run
ARPWrapper.exe /remove it loads the normal SQL Server 2005 setup dialogues
and checks the status of the installation. Its at that point that it fails
to grab the execution mutex. So I'm stuck unless I can overcome the Mutex
problem.


"Linchi Shea" wrote:

> All else failed, you always have the option of uninstalling it manually. See
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909967
>
> Linchi
>
> "Joe Kelly" wrote:
>
> > Problem connecting to SQL Server 2005 default instance on my laptop running
> > under vista
> >
> > Trying to re-install to solve problem
> >
> > Cannot uninstall existing setup as the system erroneously reports that there
> > is another installation still running. When I dig into the log it tells me
> > that the installation process failed to grab the execution mutex
> >
> > I have restarted my latop several times but no difference
> >
> > There is no other installation program running but obviously a previous
> > installation failed to release the mutex
> >
> > Is there anyway to zap or reset the mutex t force the un-install?
> >
> > Alternative is to re-install vista from scratch but this would cause me
> > other major problems.
> >
> > Any appreciated.
> >
> > Joe

Eureka!

msiexec.exe is used by lots of software to carry out installs and uninstalls.

On server type software only one installation can take place at a time. To
police this it "grabs a mutex" (MUTually EXclusive flag) and only releases
the flag when msiexec.exe has completed

On my computer I discovered in the Windows Task Manager that msiexec.exe was
running even though no installations were taking place.

I ended msiexec.exe (3 times) untill it disappeared from the processes list
and then I was able to use the normal uninstall procedures.

What caused the problem in the first place I do not know.

Joe

"Joe Kelly" wrote:

> Problem connecting to SQL Server 2005 default instance on my laptop running
> under vista
>
> Trying to re-install to solve problem
>
> Cannot uninstall existing setup as the system erroneously reports that there
> is another installation still running. When I dig into the log it tells me
> that the installation process failed to grab the execution mutex
>
> I have restarted my latop several times but no difference
>
> There is no other installation program running but obviously a previous
> installation failed to release the mutex
>
> Is there anyway to zap or reset the mutex t force the un-install?
>
> Alternative is to re-install vista from scratch but this would cause me
> other major problems.
>
> Any appreciated.
>
> Joe