Windows: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Setup Support Files cannot be uninstalled

I recently wanted to uninstall SQL Server 2008 R2 completely after I have upgraded to SQL Server 2014. The uninstall of the

"SQL Server 2008 R2 Setup Support Files"

did not work and produced the error:

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Setup Support Files cannot be uninstalled because the following products are installed:
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RsFx Driver

Strangely, the "Add/Remove Programs" section did not list the "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RsFx Driver". To uninstall this "hidden" program, you have to use command line tools. Open a cmd box as Administrator and type the following:

WMIC PRODUCT GET Caption, IdentifyingNumber > c:\info.txt

Look in the info.txt file for the "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RsFx Driver" and copy the associated IdentifyingNumber. Then type:

msiexec /X {1BA457D4-90F2-4D83-9543-9715849023C8}

Your IdentifyingNumber can vary, of course. It is now possible to uninstall "SQL Server 2008 R2 Setup Support Files" from "Add/Remove Programs"

This trick can be used for any "hidden" program you wish to uninstall.

Update: As commenter "John Thoren" points out correctly, the "WMIC" command is being depreciated in Windows 10, so the following Powershell command can be used instead to find the IdentifyingNumber:

Get-WmiObject Win32_Product > c:\info.txt

5 thoughts on “Windows: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Setup Support Files cannot be uninstalled”

  1. With wmic being deprecated on windows 10, I had to run the following procedure:

    from powershell:
    Get-WmiObject Win32_Product > c:\info.txt

    IdentifyingNumber : {8DABF4DE-DC94-4436-90D4-0D39DCB42ABE}
    Name : Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RsFx Driver
    Vendor : Microsoft Corporation
    Version : 10.52.4042.0
    Caption : Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 RsFx Driver

    run from a command prompt, **not** powershell
    msiexec /X {8DABF4DE-DC94-4436-90D4-0D39DCB42ABE}

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