dbi Blog

Today I faced a strange issue when I tried to install a new SQL Server instance : Failed to retrieve data for this request
This error occurred just after clicking on “New SQL Server stand-alone installation…”

The error message is not helpful at all. So, the first step to troubleshoot an issue is to look at the error logs.

The location by default is : C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\140\Setup Bootstrap\Log
There is a summary.txt file and many subfolders created every time the Installation wizard is started. In those subfolders, we can find a Detail.txt file.

The error looks like this:

Exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.EnumeratorException
    Message: 
        Failed to retrieve data for this request.
    HResult : 0x80131500
    Data: 
      HelpLink.ProdName = Microsoft SQL Server
      HelpLink.BaseHelpUrl = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink
      HelpLink.LinkId = 20476
      HelpLink.EvtType = 0xE8A0C283@0xAC7B1A58@1233@53
      DisableWatson = true
    Stack: 
        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Discovery.SqlDiscoveryDatastoreInterface.LoadData(IEnumerable`1 machineNames, String discoveryDocRootPath, String clusterDiscoveryDocRootPath)
        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Discovery.SqlDiscoveryProvider.DiscoverMachines(ServiceContainer context, Boolean runRemoteDetection, String discoveryDocRootPath, String clusterDiscoveryDocRootPath)
        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SetupExtension.RunDiscoveryAction.ExecuteAction(String actionId)
        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.Action.Execute(String actionId, TextWriter errorStream)
        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Setup.Chainer.Workflow.ActionInvocation.<>c__DisplayClasse.<ExecuteActionWithRetryHelper>b__b()
        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Setup.Chainer.Workflow.ActionInvocation.ExecuteActionHelper(ActionWorker workerDelegate)
    Inner exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.SqlRegistryException
        Message: 
                The network path was not found.
                
        HResult : 0x84d10035
                FacilityCode : 1233 (4d1)
                ErrorCode : 53 (0035)

The useful information here is the message about network: The network path was not found.
I try to install the instance on a server that is a member of a Failover Cluster. So this gives me a hint.
I need to check any connectivity issue between the 2 nodes of my cluster.

The 2 nodes can ping each other. The DNS resolution is fine.
Out of curiously, I tried the administrative shares and it was not working from my current server to the other node. The other way around is fine. This is surprising and I tried to fix this.