unsinstalling SQL Native Client using command line setup

_{Friday, April 11, 2014 2:09 PM}

To install SQL Server 2012 Express I run command-line installer with /FEATURES=SQL,Tools
When uninstalling, I use identical /FEATURES parameter; however, SQL Native Client stays uninstalled.

What feature has to be used to uninstall Native Client from command line ?
Perhaps there is a different command line utility way to uninstall it ?

Thanks a lot

software developer

_{Friday, April 11, 2014 2:49 PM ✅Answered}

Hello,

Please use msiexec with the sqlncli.msi and the /x parameter to uninstall SQL Server Native Client.

C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe /X  D:\1033_ENU_LP\x64\Setup\x64 \sqlncli.msi

Where D:\ is the DVD drive where the SQL Server media is located.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Alberto Morillo
SQLCoffee.com

_{Friday, April 11, 2014 3:30 PM ✅Answered}

Hello,

SQL Server Native Client is used by many Microsoft applications and many third-party applications. Unistalling it when SQL Server is uninstalled is risky.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Alberto Morillo
SQLCoffee.com

_{Friday, April 11, 2014 3:20 PM}

Thank you very much for quick reply.
Unfortunately, SQL Server media DVD (or setup file) is rarely available when somebody wants to uninstall the product. I found a way which works very well and does not require SQL Server media/setup file:

msiexec.exe /X {49D665A2-4C2A-476E-9AB8-FCC425F526FC}

As a side-note, the fact uninstallation does not cleanup Native Client is a glitch in SQL Server installer and, in my humble opinion, shod be fixed ...unless there is a reason for not fixing it but in that case it would be nice to have it documented.

Thanks a lot.

software developer