Remove SQL cluster node

Question

I am trying to remove a SQL 2012 cluster node from a Server 2012 R2 machine. However the windows and cluster itself has already been destoyed so when trying to remove the node the setup is erroring out in validation because ...

"The local computer is not a member of a Windows failover cluster"

and

"The SQL Server failover cluster service is not online, or the cluster cannot be accessed from one of it's nodes. To continue determine why the cluster is not online and rerun Setup. Do not rerun the rule because the rule cannot detect a cluster environment".

Does anyone know how to force the removal of a SQL clustered node?

Answer 1

I know it's probably too late for you JBone, but I had the same issue and what I did was go into the registry and delete the ClusterName key for the instance. This lets the uninstall see this as a non-clustered instance and you can uninstall as a non-clustered instance through add/remove programs.

The registry key I removed was:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.MSSQLSERVER\Cluster:ClusterName

Answer 2

To remove a node from an existing SQL Server failover cluster, you must run SQL Server Setup on the node that is to be removed from the SQL Server failover cluster instance.

Follow the instructions http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms191545.aspx