BUG: You cannot repair SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (Windows) by using the Add/Remove Programs tool

When you try to repair your installation of Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (Windows), the repair option is no longer available for this service in Add/Remove Programs tool.

To repair your installation of SQL Server Desktop Engine (Windows), follow these steps.

Note You must know the location of the original .msi file that was used for the installation. If you are not sure which .msi file was used, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

1. Open a command prompt, and then locate the folder where the installation files for SQL Server Desktop Engine (Windows) are stored.
2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   	MSIEXEC.EXE  REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=OMUS /I 
   relative path of sqlrun**.msi INSTANCENAME=Instance Name

   Note Put relative path of the sqlrun**.msi in single quotation marks.
3. To only rebuild the master database of SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (Windows), type the following command, and then press ENTER:

   MSIEXEC.EXE  REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=AMUS /I 
   relative path if sqlrun**.msi INSTANCENAME=Instance Name

   Note Put relative path of the sqlrun**.msi in single quotation marks.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article.