SQL server installation

If the SQL server does not install successfully, you can determine what has gone wrong by checking two files, `Sqlstp.log' file and `Error log'. The Sqlstp.log is located in the Windows directory. It provides detailed information on the setup and also the errors encountered during setup. Reading this file will give you a good idea of where the setup fails. You can also check the SQL Server error log, named `Errorlog' with no file extension, located by default in the Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Log directory. This contains errors that the SQL Server encounters during startup. When the Setup application fails, it rolls back all changes to the file system, which includes removing any copied files and changes that were made to the registry.
One other component you could look up is the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) setup, which is launched as part of the SQL Server 2000 setup. SQL Server 2000 setup installs MDAC 2.6. The MDAC setup creates a separate log file named Dasetup.log; you can review this log file and make sure that there are no problems with the MDAC setup. For more information, please refer to the following URL: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/232060/ and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/257716
If your system hangs while you are installing the SQL server, please check whether you have installed all the required components. While installing the SQL server, please minimise the Setup window and other windows to see whether there are any messages relating to File Copy or File Sharing. For uninstalling the SQL Server, please check whether the `uninst.isu' file is present in some other folder. `uninst.isu' is created during Setup and is found in the MSSQL directory. If you have successfully installed the SQL server, this file will be created in the MSSQL directory.
Use the Uninstall option in the setup program. To do this : Click SQL Server 2000 Components, and then click Install Database Server. Click to select Local Computer, and then click to select Upgrade, Remove, or
Add Components to an existing instance of SQL Server. Click to select Default or select what you want to uninstall in the `Instance Name' drop down box, and then click to select `Uninstall your existing installation'.
After the uninstall program is complete, you will need to clean up the files/folders used during the process.If you cannot use this method to remove SQL Server 2000, you can manually uninstall the SQL server. Please click on this link for more details: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q290991