Travel Technology - Questions re uninstalling SQL Server from my Lenovo T61p

My bootup is slow and I've been having intermittent connectivity problems.

This AM, after a bit of trouble w/my wireless connection, I looked at the event viewer and found a bunch of entries involving the SQL Server.

I think it's time to uninstall Outlook Business Contact Manager and the SQL Server, neither of which I need or want.

Looking at the Add/Remove list, I see the following SQL Server software:

SQL Server 2005
SQL Server Native Client
SQL Server Setup Support Files
SQL Server VSS Writ (that's all that displays)

I guess I should uninstall the BCM first?

I guess I should uninstall all the SQL Server software?

Does it matter in which order I uninstall the SQL Server software?

Sorry to be a bother, but Lenovo gives NO free support for preinstalled software on a brand-new laptop (unless you count "Reinstall the OS" to be software support), and I'm way too annoyed to use their fee-based support for this rather expensive laptop.

remove whatever uses SQL Server first,
then remove the SQL client + SQL server (no preferred order).

JP

remove whatever uses SQL Server first,
then remove the SQL client + SQL server (no preferred order).

JP

Sorry to be so stupid, but should I also remove the SQL Server Setup Support Files and SQL Server VSS Writ (whatever that is)?

Rather than uninstalling these applications, start by simply stopping the services they start.

Google optimize XP (Vista) to read up on how to do this.

What from SQL Server in the event log makes you think that is why you are having a slow bootup? Your best bet, before uninstalling it, is to stop the SQL Server service and set it to manual start. Restart your laptop and see if that is truly better. Otherwise, you might end up uninstalling this, screwing up and application and then you'd have two problems to fix.

Is this a corporate image loaded by someone? Do you have the actual install media for the OS or just a recovery disc?

I wouldn't uninstall them. Set them to not start at startup and see if that makes a difference.

Lots of stuff uses SQL server, and if you uninstall it something totally unrelated may stop working.

Au contraire, except for Outlook BCM, only a developer would have SQL Server 2005 on their laptop. Anything else would have the runtime only.

Uninstall all the SS stuff after the BCM. Uninstall SQL Server 2005 last.

Then defrag your drive -- it will have left a bunch of gaping sectors and that will help your bootup and run times as well.

A word to the wise - a bunch of stuff uses SQL...

It's just that now they use SQL Express, instead of the older MSDE.

Problem is, SQL Express appears in the processes and programs list as SQL 2005.

I'd recommend following the stop process method that others have already extolled...

Uninstall BCM first. In the BCM uninstall program, it will give you the option to uninstall SQL Server. Do it. After BCM is removed, the 3 other SQL Server components still remain. It is safe to remove those 3 one by one.

I have done this on brand new out of the box ThinkPads without any ill effects.

In my experience, the worst offender on system performance is Norton. Typically, Norton that came bundled with new computers only comes with 3 or 6 months of definition updates. After the time is up, it is either pay or be without protection. I usually replace it with AVG Free Edition right off the bat.

Uninstall BCM first. In the BCM uninstall program, it will give you the option to uninstall SQL Server. Do it. After BCM is removed, the 3 other SQL Server components still remain. It is safe to remove those 3 one by one.

I have done this on brand new out of the box ThinkPads without any ill effects.

In my experience, the worst offender on system performance is Norton. Typically, Norton that came bundled with new computers only comes with 3 or 6 months of definition updates. After the time is up, it is either pay or be without protection. I usually replace it with AVG Free Edition right off the bat.

I agree with you about Norton- uninstalled it the first day I began configuring the laptop.

What from SQL Server in the event log makes you think that is why you are having a slow bootup? Your best bet, before uninstalling it, is to stop the SQL Server service and set it to manual start. Restart your laptop and see if that is truly better. Otherwise, you might end up uninstalling this, screwing up and application and then you'd have two problems to fix.

Is this a corporate image loaded by someone? Do you have the actual install media for the OS or just a recovery disc?

I don't think the SQL Server service is necessarily slowing the boot, I think it's causing/contributing to the connection probs.
Event Viewer Warning:
Source: SQLBrowser
Event ID: 3
The configuration of the AdminConnection\TCP protocol in the SQL instance MSMLBIZ is not valid.

This is the C drive preload that I received from Lenovo. No corporate entity, unfortunately, just me (how I would love an IT department to b....ch at.

I have nothing but the OS Recovery/Reinstall stuff loaded on a partition by Lenovo. Plus installation CDs for the Office 2007 software (complete with all the "Trial Period" crap I don't want).

The Lenovo service tech refused to send me recovery CDs (although the website says it's possible to get them). Says I "don't need them because everything's on the hard drive."

I agree with you about Norton- uninstalled it the first day I began configuring the laptop.
Excellent, at least we know Norton is not holding things up.

The Lenovo service tech refused to send me recovery CDs (although the website says it's possible to get them). Says I "don't need them because everything's on the hard drive."
The tip from thinkpads.com forum is to call tech support and tell them you got error while burning the CD/DVD. Then they should send it for free. If you called customer service, they are more than happy to send you a set for $45.

I don't know, I burned the recovery discs myself by going to Start->Program Files->ThinkVantage->Create Recovery Media. It took 1 CD and 1 DVD. I would not do it if the optical drive could not burn DVD. It would take far too many CD's.

Excellent, at least we know Norton is not holding things up.


The tip from thinkpads.com forum is to call tech support and tell them you got error while burning the CD/DVD. Then they should send it for free. If you called customer service, they are more than happy to send you a set for $45.[/QUOTE]
That's a great site, isn't it. That's where I found out about ThinkVantage Access Connections causing shutdown hangs. Uninstalling that took care of my shutdown probs.

I don't know, I burned the recovery discs myself by going to Start->Program Files->ThinkVantage->Create Recovery Media. It took 1 CD and 1 DVD. I would not do it if the optical drive could not burn DVD. It would take far too many CD's.

I've never burned a DVD, but my optical drive is supposed to have that capability. Guess I'd better try it. I downloaded the Service and Troubleshooting Guide (one of the few good pieces of advice from a Lenova service tech), and it did sound as if the Recovery software takes a bunch of CDs.

That's a great site, isn't it. That's where I found out about ThinkVantage Access Connections causing shutdown hangs. Uninstalling that took care of my shutdown probs.
Absolutely. ^ I also like the Lenovo/IBM forum over on the NotebookReview forums. They are both great resources.

I've never burned a DVD, but my optical drive is supposed to have that capability. Guess I'd better try it. I downloaded the Service and Troubleshooting Guide (one of the few good pieces of advice from a Lenova service tech), and it did sound as if the Recovery software takes a bunch of CDs.
The program will take you through the process step by step. It is almost fully automatic. You need to insert the blank discs, and the program does the rest.

Absolutely. ^ I also like the Lenovo/IBM forum over on the NotebookReview forums. They are both great resources.


The program will take you through the process step by step. It is almost fully automatic. You need to insert the blank discs, and the program does the rest.

Someone, somewhere also mentioned doing backups by making boot CDs using something called Acronis. Have you ever done that?

Someone, somewhere also mentioned doing backups by making boot CDs using something called Acronis. Have you ever done that?
Acronis true image is one of the best pieces of software I've used, bar none.

However, if you don't have a clean image of XP, Acronis can't help you get clean. It can only take a snapshot of your current state.

FYI I use NeatReceipts which use SQL Server. I wouldn't uninstall SQL Server as advised above. Stop it as a service and test it out.

Someone, somewhere also mentioned doing backups by making boot CDs using something called Acronis. Have you ever done that?
UALOneKPlus summarized Acronis True Image very well. It is a very good and user-friendly tool for taking snapshots of the hard disk.

If your Vista edition is Business or Enterprise or Ultimate, you can use the built-in Complete PC Backup and Restore. I have used it extensively and found it worked well.

Back to the product recovery disk. They are essential for returning the computer to the factory state when the time comes to sell the old computer and upgrade to a new one.

UALOneKPlus summarized Acronis True Image very well. It is a very good and user-friendly tool for taking snapshots of the hard disk.

If your Vista edition is Business or Enterprise or Ultimate, you can use the built-in Complete PC Backup and Restore. I have used it extensively and found it worked well.

Back to the product recovery disk. They are essential for returning the computer to the factory state when the time comes to sell the old computer and upgrade to a new one.

I have WinXP Pro, not Vista. (That's how I came to buy the Lenovo in the first place. I wanted to be able to seamlessly synch with our other computers, and there are very few vendors still selling XP.)

In theory (i.e., according to Lenovo), I have all the reinstall/recovery files on a partition on my hard drive. But I would feel much more comfortable with something in my hot little hands.

I have WinXP Pro, not Vista. (That's how I came to buy the Lenovo in the first place. I wanted to be able to seamlessly synch with our other computers, and there are very few vendors still selling XP.)
I see. XP comes with only ntbackup, licensed from BackupExec, but it will not save to CD or DVD. Only tape and hard disk are supported. Lenovo's Rescue and Recovery should work fine as a substitute.

In theory (i.e., according to Lenovo), I have all the reinstall/recovery files on a partition on my hard drive. But I would feel much more comfortable with something in my hot little hands.
Agreed. Creating the product recovery media was the first thing I did after receiving my ThinkPad over Christmas. I like to tool around my computers, and I had to use the recovery media a couple of times already. ;)

I like to tool around my computers, and I had to use the recovery media a couple of times already. ;)
Not me. I'm the original technophobe.

I would have been quite happy to leave everything alone on my new laptop (except for uninstalling the Symantec stuff), had I not begun having problems with the pre-installed software during setup.