Have you ever encountered the error message “SQL Server Setup has encountered the following error: Could not find subkey System\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSSQLFDLauncher Error code 0x851B0001” while trying to add a node to your SQL Server cluster? If so, you’re not alone. Many users have faced this issue, and finding a solution can be quite challenging.
During the ADD Node procedure, SQL Server setup performs a remote registry query to retrieve the configurations set on Node 1. However, in some cases, the setup expects to find a specific key (in this case, MSSQLFDLauncher) on Node 1, but it is not present. This results in the error message mentioned above.
One possible cause of this error is the absence of the SQL Server Full-Text Search feature on Node 1. If Full-Text Search was not installed during the initial setup on Node 1, the required key may be missing. To resolve this issue, you can try the following steps:
- Remove SQL Server from Node 1.
- Download a fresh copy of the SQL Server setup media.
- Extract the setup media and locate the sql_fulltext.msi file in the MediaRoot\x64\Setup path.
- Run the “New Failover Cluster” setup using the fresh setup media.
- During the setup, make sure to select the Full-Text Search component.
- Complete the setup on Node 1.
- Use the same setup media to run the “Add Node” procedure, and it should complete successfully.
By ensuring that the sql_fulltext.msi file is present in the setup media and selecting the Full-Text Search component during the setup, you can avoid encountering the “Could not find subkey” error.
If you have experienced this issue or have any other insights or solutions, please share them in the comments below. Your experiences can help others facing similar challenges.