Symptoms

The error might pop up when attepting to upgrade or re-install a Windows DS-Client, the message means ithat the DS-Client nstaller failed to connect to the SQL server instance holding the DS-Client databases.

Cause

1. The current logon user in DS-Client computer running the installer does not have the sysadmin role assigned in the SQL Server instance holding the DS-Client databases.

2. TLS 1.0 has been disabled on DS-Client computer and SQL Server computer (if different).

3. The DS-Client application has been previously installed on the same computer and the process of uninstalling it (via Add/Remove Programs) has been interrupted, as a result there is no entry in Add/Remove programs corresponding to DS-Client application but there is a "DS-Client" entry in Start > Administrative Tools > Services, also the registry entries HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DS-Client and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASIGRA\DS-Client were left behind. Moreover, after the partial DS-Client uninstalling, the local SQL Server instance holding the DS-Client databases has been also uninstalled via Add/Remove Programs (this one was successfully uninstalled).

When the DS-Client installation is run again, it will check the registry entries and try to connect to the SQL Server / dsclient database specified there, but SQL Server and dsclient database were removed, thus the error.

Workaround

.1. Identify the DS-Client service account (Start > Administrative Tools > Services), and run the DS-Client installation under that account:

- Press SHIFT + right-click on setup.exe > run as different user, provide the DS-Client service account to run the setup.

If the DS-Client service account is 'Local System', you need to identify first a Windows user that has sysadmin role on the SQL Server holding the DS-Client databases, and run the DS-Client installer under such account using the SHIFT + right click option.

2. Temporarily enable the TLS 1.0 protocol on the SQL Server instance computer and DS-Client computer (if different), then run the upgrade, after that the protocol can be disabled back.

3. The steps to fix the issue in this scenario are:

a) Backup the registry (Start > run > regedit, right click on top entry "Computer > export);

b) Remove the registry entries HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DS-Client and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ASIGRA\DS-Client

c) Delete the DS-Client service by running the following command from an elevated command prompt:

sc delete ds-client

d) Reboot the computer

e) Run the DS-Client installation again.