How to make a CLEAN uninstall ?

[Psiloceras]

Hello,

I have installed Veeam Backup & Replication on a test environment. In order to fill our own wiki, I uninstalled it (following https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... tml?ver=95) to make it again, more slowly, and write every step. But at the end it finished with an error and I discovered that Veeam installs a SQL Server that is not removed and blocks any attempt to reinstall the software. And I can't manage to uninstall all properly in order to install it again.
Could I have a cleean process to uninstall the software, please.

[foggy]

You can remove SQL Server software and other redistributables installed as a part of Veeam B&R installation using Add/Remove Programs. Please contact technical support, if you need assistance in cleaning everything up.

[dellock6]

Also, after you removed all the programs, you can delete the SQL installation folder, the Veeam installation folder under program files, and the log folder under programdata.

[Psiloceras]

thank you all

My problem was not only related to the SQL Server (you have to uninstall all the parts in a specific order and to go find some last remains in the registry). I had to go in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.VEEAMSQL2012\MSSQL\DATA and there I had to savagely destroy VeeamBackup and VeeamBackup_log.

Once done, Veeam could be reinstalled properly

[xmzmc]

Hi,

We recently moved Veeam Backup & Replication to another server. Therefore, I uninstalled it from server1 (Windows 2012R2) through the control panel (appwiz.cpl). I also uninstalled all Sql databases and Sql software from the server through appwiz.cpl. Unfortunately there still seem to be some leftovers of Veeam (even after reboot). These are the leftovers:

- Veeam Log Shipper. I can still see this running in services.msc. How do I clean this?

- Sql databases. Apparantly there's still some Veeam databases running on server1? Because this server is being backed up by Veeam and it reports the databases being present there. How do I clean this? (all Sql servers are already removed through appwiz.cpl)


Thanks

[DGrinev]

Hi,

Please review this discussion for additional information.
Also, do not hesitate to contact our support team to ask for assistance in uninstalling the product. Thanks!

[badams]

OK, just to let you know why I did something that broke Veeam, I will explain it. I had Veeam Backup and Replication 9.5 Update 3 installed on a backup server. Everything was fine. I have a separate 10TB RAID1 for the backups. After everything was working, I discovered the storage drive was formatted as NTFS. I wanted to change it to ReFS. This was a new setup so there were no needed backups on the drive, There were a few folders on the drive that the initial install of Veeam had made: The backup respository, etc. I figured I had two choices. Copy the folders to the desktop, reformat the drive, then copy them back or uninstall Veeam Backup and Replication from Programs and Features (Windows Server 2016 Standard) and then reformat the drive to ReFS. Of course, the folders would be written over, but my hope was the new install would repopulate the folders.

I then opened the installer as an administrator and began the install. It is important to note that the only thing I had done was uninstall VBR and planned to reinstall it. Veeam ONE and all of the SQL Servers were still installed. You probably know where this is going. I got to the window where I needed to choose the SQL Server instance. The install new instance was not available. Everything was filled in. I then clicked next. This brought me to the first of two errors:

1. Configuration database is in use by VBR installed on "host name." Do you want to continue? I selected Yes.

2. Unable to use database VeeamBackup, because it was created with a later version of Veeam Backup and Replication.

I am not sure what to do now. Do I need to uninstall all of the SQL Server components? Uninstall everything? Thanks.

[Mike Resseler]

Hi Bert,

Please contact support with this. I assume that something remained hanging with the uninstall. I'm sure the engineers can figure out what it is and fix that. You will probably need to drop the SQL databases from VBR 9.5 U3 so it can do a clean install. The ISO itself that you are using is probably not yet with U3 updated which means it tries to install an "earlier" version of VBR, hence the error message.

If you don't want to contact support. Delete the VBR database (but then the config will be gone...) and start clean again.

Mike

[smoore33]

I'd appreciate an answer to this also. I uninstalled 9, then installed 9.5.3a and got that error. Maybe in this situation, one should also uninstall SQL Server to start fresh?

[badams]

Has anyone got back to smoore33? Maybe he was answered directly. I hope he got it fixed.

To be honest, I am starting this post out a little frustrated. This has happened multiple times. I guess a good question is why am I uninstalling and reinstalling it. But, that is not the issue. The issue is I have to pay a friend of mine who works for SQL development at Microsoft $60.00 each time to get it to attach to the instance. This is the only software I have owned where I can't simply uninstall it. I have deleted it correctly. It leaves the VBR catalog. I delete that. It leaves a few other folders. I guess I am not sure which SQL Server is the server with the instance or I would blast that. I should have the option of installing and leaving SQL or uninstalling everything. I want to uninstall everything. I WANT TO DESTROY THE CONFIG.

The error message that the database that is still in use is newer than what I am installing. I am installing the latest update. I am sure I could contact an engineer. My sense is they could fix it easily and for less than $60.00. But, I don't want to have to contact support. I just want to be able to uninstall it using Windows Programs and Features and reinstall it. Where it asks do I want to use the RIVERVIEWDR\Instance, I should be able to simply chooses that instance. And, you don't have a choice. The radio button for installing somewhere else is greyed out.

Please just give me instructions on how to uninstall by a) leaving SQL and b) nuking the whole thing. And, then, please give me step by step instructions to reinstall and get past that window. My issue is when I uninstall, I assume that the Veeam Database that is still running or working or whatever it says, should be gone.

Excuse me, but it is almost time for my SQL friend to remote in to fix the problem. Please don't get me wrong. I love Veeam. Support is awesome. But, one should be able to uninstall it and reinstall it with no issues. Thanks.

To smoore33's issue, I am assuming one could install over 9?

[PTide]

Hi,

You can manually delete the database, however it is recommended to contact our support team directy so the could assist you with the operation. Before deleteing the database you should perform configuration backup.

Thanks

[badams]

Why do I need to perform configuration backup?

[badams]

Finally, and this goes back to a previous thread which Mike helped me with, it may make more sense to install VBR in a VM on the backup server with a checkpoint. You could then simply go back to the check point, and it would be as if nothing were ever installed?

Again, it isn't like I am going to continue to need to uninstall it. That would sort of defeat the purpose of having it. It's just that I am still an "enthusiast" and continue to tweak things, which ultimately makes me want to start all over. The only thing I really do not want to do is completely reformat the Backup Server.

[Mike Resseler]

Doing a configuration backup allows you to import the created config again. Ofcourse, when you really want to start from scratch (whatever the reason is), you can always just remove everything without a config backup and start from zero again

[badams]

thank you all

My problem was not only related to the SQL Server (you have to uninstall all the parts in a specific order and to go find some last remains in the registry). I had to go in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.VEEAMSQL2012\MSSQL\DATA and there I had to savagely destroy VeeamBackup and VeeamBackup_log.

Once done, Veeam could be reinstalled properly

Thanks to Psilceras for solving my problem. I had tested VBR in a VM and tried a few ways of uninstalling and installing. Finally crushing, nuking and destroying those files in the path above. I couldn't quite get that to work on the real Veeam on the hard drive. I think one of the removals of SQL did that for me. But, it still came to the SQL database and would not work. But, I found that I wasn't uninstalling SQL Server 2012 64-bit with its native uninstaller. Not sure why it let me before. But, doing in that way, removed the database, so I wasn't stuck when it wanted me to find the instance.

[CalderaTech]

I had tried everything listed here with no luck. Finally I simply installed a new instance of SQL 2012 (it is in the redistributables folder on the Veeam install media) and created an instance called VEEAM2. I re-tried the install, chose the new instance and it installed perfectly.

I hope this helps someone.