The Database Engine system data directory in the registry is not valid

Hi friends, in this article, we will be discussing about the case where you might be updating or patching a SQL Server instance, and under certain circumstances you get the error message: The Database Engine system data directory in the registry is not valid.

 

The Error Message

The exact error message in the above scenario, is the following:

Error installing SQL Server Database Engine Services Instance Features
The Database Engine system data directory in the registry is not valid.
Error code: 0x851A0042

 

Root Cause Analysis

From the above error message, we conclude that the update/patching process failed, due to an invalid registry value.

 

How to Resolve the Issue

In order to resolve the issue, we need to perform a check (and possibly a correction) in the relevant registry key.

To this end, within Windows Registry Editor, you navigate to:

1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
2. SOFTWARE
3. Microsoft
4. Microsoft SQL Server
5. MSSQL[VersionNumber].[InstanceName]
6. Setup

 

In the “Setup” registry folder, you will find a key named “SQLDataRoot“.

You need to check the value for this key, since this is the value that is found as invalid by the SQL Server update/patching process.

To this end, if indeed this value is invalid, you need to change it by setting a valid directory path.

After you set the valid directory path, you can try again with the update/patching process.

 

Variations of the the Same Issue

Note that there can be variations of the same issue, with the only actual difference that these variations might be referencing other relevant settings (i.e. registry key values).

Example of similar error messages can be:

• Error message:
  • The User Data directory in the registry is not valid.
    Verify DefaultData key under the instance hive points to a valid directory.
• Proposed action:
  • Check and update (if needed) the relevant registry key value for “DefaultData” in the “MSSQL[VersionNumber].[InstanceName]” registry folder

 

• Error message:
  • The User Log directory in the registry is not valid.
    Verify DefaultLog key under the instance hive points to a valid directory.
• Proposed action:
  • Check and update (if needed) the relevant registry key value for “DefaultLog” in the “MSSQL[VersionNumber].[InstanceName]” registry folder

 

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