>>>The Removal Progress does not go past (not really hangs but progress stops) on Install_SQL_Engine_Core_Inst_Loc_CPU64_1033_Action.
>>>
>>>I think this is the same process/program that stops during the installation. Any suggestions?
>>>
>>>>I want to un-install SQL Server 2008 Express so that I can (hopefully) install it again with the SQL Server Management studio.
>>>>
>>>>In the Control Panel Uninstall programs I have the following items pertaining to SQL Server:
>>>>
>>>>SQL Server 2008 R2 (64bit)
>>>>SQL Server 2008 R2 Management Objects
>>>>SQL Server 2008 R2 Native Client
>>>>SQL Server 2008 R2 Setup
>>>>SQL Server 2008 Setup Support Files
>>>>SQL Server Browser
>>>>SQL Server System CLR Types
>>>>SQL Server VSS Writer
>>>>
>>>>Any suggestions on the order of removing the above items?
>>>>
>>>>(In case someone is wondering why I want to remove. When I try to install SQL Server 2008 with SSMS or SQL Server 2012 with SSMS the installation hangs on the step Installation Progress)
>>>>
>>>>TIA
>>Not fun trying to uninstall SQL Server.
>>Go into your task manager, look at services.
>>Be sure that anything that looks like a SQL service has been stopped.
>
>Thank you. I asked the IT to reboot the server. Maybe after they reboot it and after I stop all SQL-like services, I can uninstall it. I agree with you on the challenges of uninstalling MS software.
>SET GRIPE ON
>Why can't MS be more like Apple where removing an application is a cinch. MS, with all their billions of dollars, is the most incompetent software company. Period.
>SET GRIPE OFF

Yes, it's amazing that such a wonderful product is so difficult to manage.
If you and I did that to our customers, we'd have been out of business long ago.
Fortunately, I partner with a non-developer super-tech who handles these things for me. (He's amazing!!)
As I recall, when I tried to remove SQL Server on my own, it only removed an instance of SQL Server, not the base product. That drove me batty for a while.