Never thought it would be this bad when trying to install SQL Server 2016 Express Edition on Windows 10. I had both SQL Server 2014 and SQL Server 2012 installed and was mainly using SQL Server 2014. Then I thought I should upgrade and tried to install SQL Server 2016. I then got this error:
Attempted to perform an unauthorised operation error.
Tried searching about this and there were suggestions about modifying registry key permissions, so I did try to modify some permission on a few SQL Server related registry keys but that didn't make any difference.
Then I kept searching and found people suggesting it might be a version clash issue so I uninstalled all SQL Server installations including the 2016 version (which wasn't successfully installed) and started fresh.
Now after more than two days I still cannot install a SQL Server.
Below is the part of the detailed log where the timeline matches with the timeline in the error of Windows Event Log; couldn't paste the whole detailed log as it's too long.
EDIT1: After more searching this is the actual exeption being thrown:
Exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.ScoException
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Message:
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Attempted to perform an unauthorized operation.
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: HResult : 0x84bb0001
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: FacilityCode : 1211 (4bb)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: ErrorCode : 1 (0001)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Data:
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: WatsonData = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE@SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\FltMgr
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: DisableRetry = true
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: HelpLink.EvtType = 0x48BB60BC@0xBB814387
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: EMBResult = Cancel
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: SQL.Setup.FailureCategory = ConfigurationFailure
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: WatsonConfigActionData = INSTALL@CONFIGNONRC@SQL_ENGINE_CORE_INST
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: WatsonExceptionFeatureIdsActionData = System.String[]
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Stack:
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.InternalRegistryKey.OpenSubKey(String subkey, RegistryAccess requestedAccess)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlEngine.Globals.GetSqlRegistryKeyHKLM(ServiceContainer context, String key, String machineName, Boolean createIfNotFound)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlEngine.FilestreamUtils.SetFltMgrAttachWhenLoadedKey(ServiceContainer context)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlEngine.RsFxConfiguration.Install()
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlEngine.FilestreamConfiguration.Install()
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlEngine.SqlEngineSetupPrivate.SetupFilestream(EffectiveProperties properties)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlEngine.SqlEngineSetupPrivate.Install_ConfigNonRC_Prepare(EffectiveProperties properties)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlEngine.SqlEngineSetupPrivate.Install(ConfigActionTiming timing, Dictionary`2 actionData, PublicConfigurationBase spcb)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlConfigBase.PrivateConfigurationBase.Execute(ConfigActionScenario scenario, ConfigActionTiming timing, ConfigBaseAction action, Dictionary`2 actionData, PublicConfigurationBase spcbCurrent)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlConfigBase.SqlFeatureConfigBase.Execute(ConfigActionScenario scenario, ConfigActionTiming timing, ConfigBaseAction action, Dictionary`2 actionData, PublicConfigurationBase spcbCurrent)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlConfigBase.SlpConfigAction.ExecuteAction(String actionId)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SqlConfigBase.SlpConfigAction.Execute(String actionId, TextWriter errorStream)
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Inner exception type: System.UnauthorizedAccessException
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Message:
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Attempted to perform an unauthorized operation.
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: HResult : 0x80070005
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: Stack:
(01) 2016-10-23 10:36:52 Slp: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.InternalRegistryKey.OpenSubKey(String subkey, RegistryAccess requestedAccess)