title: Failed to retrieve data for this request SQL Server 2008 R2 Express SP2 Setup Issues
body: <p>I am installing SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 Express on a remote machine. </p>
  
  <p>This is the exception error I get</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Exception summary:</p>
    
    <p>The following is an exception stack listing the exceptions in outermost to innermost order</p>
    
    <p>Inner exceptions are being indented</p>
    
    <p>Exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.EnumeratorException<br>
    Message: Failed to retrieve data for this request.<br>
    Data: HelpLink.ProdName = Microsoft SQL Server<br>
    HelpLink.BaseHelpUrl = <a href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink" rel="nofollow">http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink</a><br>
    HelpLink.LinkId = 20476<br>
    DisableWatson = true  </p>
    
    <p>Stack: 
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Enumerator.Process(Object connectionInfo, Request request)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.SqlDiscoveryDatastoreInterface.ProcessDTbl(DataTable dt, Int32 level)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.SqlDiscoveryDatastoreInterface.CollectSqlDiscoveryData(String machineName)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.SqlDiscoveryDatastoreInterface.CollectDiscoveryData(String machineName)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.SqlDiscoveryDatastoreInterface.LoadData(IEnumerable`1 machineNames, String discoveryDocRootPath, String clusterDiscoveryDocRootPath)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.SetupExtension.RunDiscoveryAction.ExecuteAction(String actionId)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Chainer.Infrastructure.Action.Execute(String actionId, TextWriter errorStream)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Setup.Chainer.Workflow.ActionInvocation.ExecuteActionHelper(TextWriter statusStream, ISequencedAction actionToRun)
            Inner exception type: System.InvalidCastException
                Message: 
                        Unable to cast object of type 'System.String' to type 'System.String[]'.
                Stack: 
                        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Discovery.DiscoveryEnumObject.GetSql2kMsiInstanceListInHive(String machineName, RegistryView regView)
                        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Discovery.DiscoveryEnumObject.LoadSql2kInstanceList(String machineName)
                        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Discovery.Product.GetData(EnumResult erParent)
                        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Environment.GetData()
                        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Environment.GetData(Request req, Object ci)
                        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Enumerator.GetData(Object connectionInfo, Request request)
                        at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Enumerator.Process(Object connectionInfo, Request request)</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Has anyone experienced this problem? I've read many links and its referring to problems in Management Studio. But I haven't even installed SQL Server yet. Any help or advice would be appreciated. </p>
  
  <p>Thanks</p>