Fixing the dreaded "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 System CLR Types" error

We've got a POC (proof of concept, not to be confused with POS) server that is much-abused by our team. Software is added and removed with both frequency and impunity, leading to a system that is anything but standard.

In most cases, that's OK. But recently, as we test successive Beta versions of SolarWinds software (which have to be completely removed before subsequent betas are installed) we've come up against the message telling us that "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 System CLR Types" are missing, and they have to be re-installed. The SolarWinds installer helpfully offers a link to the required package (http:/go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=116207).

Somewhat less helpfully, that link is dead.

After simply going through the pain of a full OS re-install a couple of times, we decided we'd had enough of that. So we dug into the issue, did research, tested a few things, went to the Oracle at Delphi, tried to read chicken bones and goat entrails, wept piteously, and finally swallowed our pride and asked SolarWinds for help.

The inimitable (and slightly un-pronouncable) Michael Hrncirik came to our aid, and provided the following instructions which I now share with the denizens of Thwack for all posterity:

1. Run the installer until it gets to the first screen. This unpacks all the sub-installers
2. Go to a DOS prompt
   1. Yes, it's called a DOS prompt. Not a CLI, not a command prompt. It's DOS.
   2. Why? Because I'm older than dirt and that's what it's called. Now let me sip my Ensure and leave me alone.
3. type "cd %TEMP%"
   1. this is actually why I needed you at the DOS prompt. The installer unpacks to whatever you have TEMP set to. For some it's C:\windows\temp\. For others it's C:\Users\your-username\AppData\Local\Temp.
   2. What-ev's, just get there.
4. Now go to SWOrionSetup\SubInstallers
5. In that directory you should see a whole mess of "Microsoft SQL" type directories. The ones you probably want are
   1. Microsoft SQL Server System CLR Types
   2. Microsoft SQL Server System CLR Types 2008
6. For each of those directories, go into both the x86 and x64 sub-directories and run the installer.
7. If you are prompted with the "Repair" or "Remove" option, first remove it. Then re-run the installer and install it clean.
   1. Otherwise just run the installer.

Just to be clear - you will be installing 4 things. the x64 and x86 versions for CLR Types and CLR Types 2008.

Once you are done, let the installer continue. You SHOULD now get past that pesky error, and on to enjoying the love, puppy dogs, sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns that is a SolarWinds installation.