Backup Exec upgrade or Fresh install fails while installing SQL Express when Backup Exec is being installed as a Standalone install on one node of the Windows Cluster.

Problem

Backup Exec upgrade or Fresh install fails while installing SQL Express when Backup Exec is being installed as a Standalone install on one node of the Windows Cluster.
 

Error Message

BKUPINST.htm

07-31-2022,12:39:04 : SQL_GetServiceName. GetComputerName
07-31-2022,12:39:04 : NODE1
+ 07-31-2022,12:39:04 : There is no MSSQL$BKUPEXEC64 Service.
+ 07-31-2022,12:39:04 : Unable to connect to a SQL Server NODE1\BKUPEXEC64 on machine SERVERANME.
07-31-2022,12:39:04 : Executing SQL_GetServicePack.
07-31-2022,12:39:04 : SQL_GetServiceName. GetComputerName
07-31-2022,12:39:04 : NODE1
+ 07-31-2022,12:39:04 : There is no MSSQL$BKUPEXEC64 Service.
+ 07-31-2022,12:39:04 : V-225-226: Unable to connect to SQL Server. ***To search for information about this error, click here
07-31-2022,12:39:04 : Checking for .Net Framework 4.8.
07-31-2022,12:39:04 : .Net Framework v4.x found - Release registry value 528049.
07-31-2022,12:39:04 : .Net Framework v4.8 Build 528049 or higher is installed.
07-31-2022,12:39:05 : GetClusterUpgradeState returning 0
07-31-2022,12:39:05 : GetClusterUpgradeState returning 0
07-31-2022,12:39:05 : Installing SQL Express BKUPEXEC64 instance.
07-31-2022,12:39:05 : BE using NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM to install SQL Express.
07-31-2022,12:39:05 : "C:\Temp\Backup Exec 22\BE\WINNT\INSTALL\SQLExpress\SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe" /ACTION=Install /Q /Hideconsole /FEATURES=SQL /INSTANCENAME=BKUPEXEC64 /SQLSVCACCOUNT="NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" /SQLSVCStartupType=Automatic /ENABLERANU=0 /TCPENABLED="1" /NPENABLED="0" /INSTANCEDIR="C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server" /SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS="BUILTIN\ADMINISTRATORS" /IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS /X:C:\Users\be_veritas\AppData\Local\Temp\MSSQL_BKUPEXEC64
+ 07-31-2022,12:39:22 : V-225-302: ERROR: Failed to install SQL Express BKUPEXEC64 instance with error -2057043967. ***To search for information about this error, click here
+ 07-31-2022,12:39:22 : Please review C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\140\Setup Bootstrap\LOG\Summary.txt for more details.
 

Summary.txt and Details.txt [SQL install log] shows the following:

01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Running Action: ProcessFeatureCommandLineArguments
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: ----------------------------------------
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Setting: INSTANCENAME
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Value specified: BKUPEXEC64
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: New setting source: CommandLine; previous setting source: NotSpecified
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Begin calculate InstallID for InstanceName = 'BKUPEXEC64'
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Sco: Attempting to create base registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, machine 
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Sco: Attempting to open registry subkey Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\Instance Names
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: No installed instance features found for InstanceName = 'BKUPEXEC64'
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Final InstallID = '7f7eb4d8-d3e4-471e-a66c-37b133759b83'
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: End calculate InstallID
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Running discovery on remote machine: NODE2
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:47 Slp: Running discovery on local machine
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:56 Slp: Discovery on NODE2 failed due to exception
(01) 2022-07-31 18:35:56 Slp: Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.EnumeratorException: Failed to retrieve data for this request. ---> Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.SqlRegistryException: The network path was not found.

Cause

SQL when being installed on a node of Windows Cluster as a standalone install, also queries the second node in the Cluster environment. If it fails to connect to the system drives of the secondary node the install fails and above errors are seen in the SQL install log.

 

Solution

• Make sure UNC path of system drives (C$) is accessible from both cluster nodes.
• File and print sharing should be enabled on both the nodes
• Remote registry service should be running on both the nodes

Example of UNC Path access: 

From Node1: \\Node2\C$

From Node2: \\Node1\C$

Once all the above things are working the upgrade or Fresh install should work.