Microsoft SQL Server - Can I Remove?

wary

Control Panel reveals that I have a significant number of MS SQL Server programs installed, mostly 2012 (plus one 2005 and two 2008).

O/S is Windows 8.1.

Do I need these installed? Will it impact anything if they're uninstalled?

I think that I may have installed it in preparation for a new job over 2 years ago - the installation date for most appears to back this up, but three are more recent.

Also listed on the same date are:
- Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x86 Runtime
- Microsoft Report Viewer 2012 Runtime
- Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Multi Targeting Pack
Can these also be removed?

Two (SQL Server VSS Writer & SQL Server Windows NT) are listed in Task Manager as Background Processes.

I don't do any kind of development so have no need for any such database. I'm just checking that Windows background processes won't be impacted, and that no other common applications are likely to use these.

Thanks

Jivesinger

It's possible that some other application may be using SQL Server to store data. I don't know how you'd easily find this though. It might be worth searching your disk for SQL databases (can't remember but think they may be *.mdf file extension) to see if that gives you any clues.

System

- Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 x86 Runtime This is used by quite a few programs so leave alone
- Microsoft Report Viewer 2012 Runtime Programs may use this especially if they are using SQL server
- Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Multi Targeting Pack More for use by developers. May be safely removed if you already have .NET framework 4 client files installed

See above.....

wary

Jivesinger wrote: »

It's possible that some other application may be using SQL Server to store data. I don't know how you'd easily find this though. It might be worth searching your disk for SQL databases (can't remember but think they may be *.mdf file extension) to see if that gives you any clues.

Thanks. All databases date back to on/before when I think I may have manually installed MS SS, so presumably came with it.

I have found 3 sets of log (LDF) files that relate to 3 different dates after that, including one as recent as 14/03/2015.

Tyler_Du

I can't imagine many consumer software packages that would require a local instance of as I server to run. .net 4 perhaps. I'd say you could remove sql fine