Unable to install SQL Server Express 2008 R2 - Errors "Failed to retrieve data for this request"

Question

As domain admin I am attempting to install "SQL Server 2008 R2 with SP2" but it keeps failing with "Failed to retrieve data for this request".
The installation never actually starts, it errors before then.
It displays the same error even if I run the System Configuration Checker.
The summary.txt for the install displays the following text:
Overall summary:
  Final result:                  Failed: see details below
  Exit code (Decimal):           -1554760125
  Exit facility code:            852
  Exit error code:               15939
  Exit message:                  Failed to retrieve data for this request.
  Start time:                    2014-08-15 16:49:52
  End time:                      2014-08-15 16:50:06
  Requested action:              RunRules
Machine Properties:
  Machine name:                  servername
  Machine processor count:       8
  OS version:                    Windows Server 2008 R2
  OS service pack:               Service Pack 1
  OS region:                     United States
  OS language:                   English (United States)
  OS architecture:               x64
  Process architecture:          64 Bit
  OS clustered:                  Yes
Product features discovered:
  Product              Instance             Instance ID                   
Feature                                  Language            
Edition              Version         Clustered
Package properties:
  Description:                   SQL Server Database Services 2008 R2
  ProductName:                   SQL Server 2008 R2
  Type:                          RTM
  Version:                       10
  SPLevel:                       1
  Installation location:         c:\84122ef5b6d9cdcd3b2ac48cec\x64\setup\
  Installation edition:          EXPRESS
User Input Settings:
  ACTION:                        RunRules
  CONFIGURATIONFILE:             
  ENU:                           True
  FARMACCOUNT:                   <empty>
  FARMADMINPORT:                 0
  FARMPASSWORD:                  *****
  FEATURES:                      
  HELP:                          False
  INDICATEPROGRESS:              False
  INSTANCENAME:                  <empty>
  PASSPHRASE:                    *****
  QUIET:                         False
  QUIETSIMPLE:                   False
  RULES:                         GLOBALRULES,SqlUnsupportedProductBlocker,PerfMonCounterNotCorruptedCheck,Bids2008InstalledCheck,BlockInstallSxS,AclPermissionsFacet,FacetDomainControllerCheck,SSMS_IsInternetConnected,FacetWOW64PlatformCheck,FacetPowerShellCheck
  UIMODE:                        AutoAdvance
  X86:                           False
  Configuration file:            C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Setup Bootstrap\Log\20140815_164944\ConfigurationFile.ini
Detailed results:
Rules with failures:
Global rules:
There are no scenario-specific rules.
Rules report file:               The rule result report file is not available.
Exception summary:
The following is an exception stack listing the exceptions in outermost to innermost order
Inner exceptions are being indented
Exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.EnumeratorException
    Message:
        Failed to retrieve data for this request.
    Data:
      HelpLink.ProdName = Microsoft SQL Server
      HelpLink.BaseHelpUrl = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink
      HelpLink.LinkId = 20476
      DisableWatson = true
    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.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: Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.SqlRegistryException
        Message:
                The network path was not found.
        Data:
          WatsonData = [email protected]rror
        Stack:
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.SqlRegistry.CreateBaseKey(ServiceContainer ctx, String machineName, IntPtr hKey, String keyName, RegistryAccess access, RegistryView
view)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.SqlRegistry.GetLocalMachine(ServiceContainer ctx, String machineName, RegistryAccess access, RegistryView view)
                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.Enumerator.GetData(Object connectionInfo, Request request)
                at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Sdk.Sfc.Enumerator.Process(Object connectionInfo, Request request)

Answer 1

    Inner exception type: Microsoft.SqlServer.Configuration.Sco.SqlRegistryException
        Message:
                The network path was not found.
        Data:
          WatsonData = [email protected]rror
Above message says that your registry is not consistent and some of the parameters are missing from registry.Or
Account installing SQL server does not have permission to access this. I think case can be here that account with which you logged into your system to install SQL Server might not have certain privileges. Can you take help
of domain admin account add it as a local administrator in this machine always right click on setup file and select run as administrator. Before this make sure you  remove all SQL Server components from add remove program
I strongly recommend you to have a good look at below thread
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2000257/en-us
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