I was trying to install Sophos Enterprise Console on a new server (a process I have done many, many times) and got hit with a very generic error message, prompting me to look at the installer log file.

I had a look, and all looked happy until it tried to execute the following command to install SQL Express:

INFO : Running command line: C:\sec_541\ServerInstaller\pre-reqs\sqlExpress2012SP2\SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe /Q /HIDECONSOLE /IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS /ACTION=INSTALL /FEATURES=SQL /INSTANCENAME=SOPHOS /SQLSVCACCOUNT="NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" /SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS="BUILTIN\Administrators" /NPENABLED=1 /TCPENABLED=0

Then this:

ERROR : Command: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 SP2 failed with error: -2068643838

Darn!

I downloaded and tried to manually install Microsoft SQL Express SP2 (SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe), only to discover that there was already an instance called “Sophos”. Weird!

I tried to repair the instance, only for that to fail spectacularly and throw me more critical errors (something about the instance not appearing to actually exist!)

Solution:

Go into Programs and Features, look for Microsoft SQL Express SP2 (64-bit) in the list. Hit uninstall, and it’s clever enough to recognise if you have multiple instances and will ask you which one you need to remove.

Let the removal process finish, give the machine a quick reboot, and try again. The 2nd time around it works a charm!