Cleaning up data files when removing instance (integr. inst.)

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to integrate SQLEXPRESS in a custom application ("the app"). On installation, a new instance ("myNewInstance") is created, and a new DB ("myDB") is created on that instance.

Upon de-installation of "the app", I remove the new instance. To that end, I'm calling the SQLEXPRESS setup like this:

Code Snippet

setup.exe /qb REMOVE=SQL_Engine INSTANCENAME=myNewInstance

The Problem: While the service and the instance are removed, the instance's data directory is not, and the DB Datafiles are still there. Now if I reinstall the app (re-creating myNewInstance), it uses the same directory structure, and when I try to re-create the DB, I get the following error message:

Code Snippet

Msg 5170, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Cannot create file '[...]\MSSQL.2\MSSQL\DATA\myDB.mdf' because it already exists. Change the file path or the file name, and retry the operation.

So here's the Question: is there
a) any way to tell setup.exe to completely remove the datafiles when uninstalling the instance, or
b) any way to tell TSQL to overwrite the old datafiles if they exist?

Thanks in advance,
Thorsten

hi Thorsten,

AFAIK, the setup/uninstall wizard does not provide a way to delete user's database, and this usually is a good thing as user's databases are actually the "real important things" to be preserved.. a setup option, SAVESYSDB=0/1 extend that feature to system databases as well, that are usually deleted in normal uninstall situations.. but "the contrary" is not available... but you can probably add a custom task to your uninstall (I do think via ORCA) to delete all "orphaned" remaining files...

regards