SQL 2008 Installation Fails: "Previous Release of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008"

I have been trying since yesterday to install the RTM of SQL 2008. But once I have selected the components to install I get a failure during the check of installation rules. The rule failing is "Previous releases of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008". I have downloaded and installed Visual Studio 2008 SP 1. In fact I've run the install several times.

Then I found this post describing why this error is happening. It turns out I had installed and uninstalled an RC version of 2008 several months ago. But I still had Visual Studio 2008 Shell (integrated mode) installed as well. So I uninstalled this. But after completing the uninstall I was still unable to install SQL 2008.

So I went back to the SP 1 page and noticed there was a separate link for Express Editions of Visual Studio. I remembered I had VC++ 2008 Express installed! After visiting I found this little gem in the page :

IMPORTANT
If you have multiple Visual Studio products installed, you must upgrade all of them to SP1. If you have Visual Studio 2008 and one or more 2008 Express Editions, you cannot upgrade the Express Editions until you have upgraded Visual Studio.

That is the kicker. I had to install SP 1 for VS 2008 first, then ALSO install SP1 for VC++ 2008. This goes for all express editions: Web Developer Express, Visual Basic Express and Visual C# as well as VC++ Express.

I am in the process of installing VC++ 2008 SP 1 (which appears to be a full install), if I run into any other problems I'll update this post. But otherwise, this should correct the issue. Hope it helps!