Sql-server – Installing SQL Server 2012 Express fails with error “ Could not find the Database Engine startup handle.”

I'm attempting to install SQL Server Express 2012 w/ SP1 x64 on Windows 7 SP1 x64. This machine has previously had SQL Server Express 2012 installed. This instance was upgraded to SQL Server 2012 Standard, which has since been uninstalled.

Following are the options selected during the install:

• Include SQL Server product updates in install — 2 related to KB
  2793634

• Install all features to default directories

• Named instance SQLEXPRESS in default instance root directory

• Default services accounts: SQL Server Database Engine -> NT
  Service\MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS

• Default Database Engine Configuration

The install fails with following error:

TITLE: Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1 Setup

The following error has occurred:

Could not find the Database Engine startup handle.

For help, click:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkID=20476&ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.3128.0&EvtType=0xD15B4EB2%25400x4BDAF9BA%25401306%254025

—————————— BUTTONS:

OK

I've read that this may be related to a corrupt MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS virtual account.

Any ideas on how to fix this?

Thanks,

Jon.

Summary.txt

Overall summary: Final result: Failed: see details
below Exit code (Decimal): -2061893607 Start time:
2014-03-24 12:08:49 End time: 2014-03-24
12:28:21 Requested action: Install

Setup completed with required actions for features. Troubleshooting
information for those features: Next step for SQLEngine: Use
the following information to resolve the error, uninstall this
feature, and then run the setup process again. Next step for
Replication: Use the following information to resolve the error,
uninstall this feature, and then run the setup process again.

Machine Properties: Machine name: MONTREAL
Machine processor count: 4 OS version:
Windows 7 OS service pack: Service Pack 1 OS region:
United States OS language: English (United States)
OS architecture: x64 Process architecture: 64
Bit OS clustered: No

Product features discovered: Product Instance
Instance ID Feature
Language Edition Version Clustered

Package properties: Description: Microsoft SQL
Server 2012 Service Pack 1 ProductName: SQL Server
2012 Type: RTM Version:
11 Installation location: c:\097a5adf24ea31e1a16d\x64\setup\
Installation edition: Express

Slipstream: True SP Level
1 Patch Level: 11.1.3128.0

Product Update Status: Success: KB 2674319, KB 2793634

Product Updates Selected for Installation: Title:
Service Pack 1 Knowledge Based Article: KB 2674319 Version:
11.1.3000.0 Architecture: x64 Language: 1033

Title: SQL Server 2012 SP1 GDR Product
Update Knowledge Based Article: KB 2793634 Version:
11.1.3128.0 Architecture: x64 Language: All

Update Source: MU

User Input Settings: ACTION: Install
ADDCURRENTUSERASSQLADMIN: true AGTSVCACCOUNT:
NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE AGTSVCPASSWORD: *****
AGTSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Disabled ASBACKUPDIR:
Backup ASCOLLATION: Latin1_General_CI_AS
ASCONFIGDIR: Config ASDATADIR:
Data ASLOGDIR: Log ASPROVIDERMSOLAP:
1 ASSERVERMODE: MULTIDIMENSIONAL ASSVCACCOUNT:
ASSVCPASSWORD: ASSVCSTARTUPTYPE:
Automatic ASSYSADMINACCOUNTS: ASTEMPDIR:
Temp BROWSERSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Disabled CLTCTLRNAME:
CLTRESULTDIR: CLTSTARTUPTYPE:
0 CLTSVCACCOUNT: CLTSVCPASSWORD:
CLTWORKINGDIR:
COMMFABRICENCRYPTION: 0 COMMFABRICNETWORKLEVEL: 0
COMMFABRICPORT: 0 CONFIGURATIONFILE:
CTLRSTARTUPTYPE: 0 CTLRSVCACCOUNT:
CTLRSVCPASSWORD: CTLRUSERS:
ENABLERANU: true ENU:
true ERRORREPORTING: false FEATURES:
SQLENGINE, REPLICATION, SNAC_SDK FILESTREAMLEVEL: 0
FILESTREAMSHARENAME: FTSVCACCOUNT:
FTSVCPASSWORD: HELP:
false IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS: true INDICATEPROGRESS:
false INSTALLSHAREDDIR: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\ INSTALLSHAREDWOWDIR: C:\Program Files
(x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\ INSTALLSQLDATADIR:
INSTANCEDIR: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\
INSTANCEID: SQLEXPRESS INSTANCENAME:
SQLEXPRESS ISSVCACCOUNT: NT AUTHORITY\Network
Service ISSVCPASSWORD: ISSVCSTARTUPTYPE:
Automatic MATRIXCMBRICKCOMMPORT: 0 MATRIXCMSERVERNAME:
MATRIXNAME: NPENABLED:
0 PID: ***** QUIET:
false QUIETSIMPLE: false ROLE:
AllFeatures_WithDefaults RSINSTALLMODE:
DefaultNativeMode RSSHPINSTALLMODE:
DefaultSharePointMode RSSVCACCOUNT:
RSSVCPASSWORD: RSSVCSTARTUPTYPE:
Automatic SAPWD: SECURITYMODE:
SQLBACKUPDIR: SQLCOLLATION:
Latin1_General_CI_AS SQLSVCACCOUNT: NT
Service\MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS SQLSVCPASSWORD:
SQLSVCSTARTUPTYPE: Automatic SQLSYSADMINACCOUNTS:
Montreal\Jonathan Bailey SQLTEMPDBDIR:
SQLTEMPDBLOGDIR: SQLUSERDBDIR:
SQLUSERDBLOGDIR: SQMREPORTING:
false TCPENABLED: 0 UIMODE:
AutoAdvance UpdateEnabled: true UpdateSource:
MU X86: false

Configuration file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\110\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20140324_120228\ConfigurationFile.ini

Detailed results: Feature: Database Engine
Services Status: Failed: see logs for details
Reason for failure: An error occurred during the setup
process of the feature. Next Step: Use the
following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature,
and then run the setup process again. Component name:
SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features Component
error code: 0x851A0019 Error description: Could
not find the Database Engine startup handle. Error help link:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=20476&ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=setup.rll&EvtID=50000&ProdVer=11.0.3128.0&EvtType=0xD15B4EB2%400x4BDAF9BA%401306%4025&EvtType=0xD15B4EB2%400x4BDAF9BA%401306%4025

Feature: SQL Server Replication Status:
Failed: see logs for details Reason for failure: An error
occurred for a dependency of the feature causing the setup process for
the feature to fail. Next Step: Use the
following information to resolve the error, uninstall this feature,
and then run the setup process again. Component name:
SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features Component
error code: 0x851A0019 Error description: Could
not find the Database Engine startup handle. Error help link:
<> >
Feature: SQL Browser Status:
Passed

Feature: SQL Writer Status:
Passed

Feature: SQL Client Connectivity Status:
Passed

Feature: SQL Client Connectivity SDK Status:
Passed

Rules with failures:

Global rules:

Scenario specific rules:

Rules report file: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\110\Setup
Bootstrap\Log\20140324_120228\SystemConfigurationCheck_Report.htm