Reported problems installing PowerPivot for SharePoint

Below are frequently reported problems with “PowerPivot for SharePoint” (summarized from many sources).
Most recently discovered issues are at the top.

How to:

• How to: Completely uninstall a NEW FARM installation
• How to: Report infrastructure problems/issues
• How to: Report installation failures

Issues:

• Issue: NEW FARM installation fails with: “Object reference not set to an instance of an object.”
• Issue: Installing PowerPivot for SharePoint on a domain controller reports a “timeout”
• Issue: Various errors after a previous uninstall fails when running NEW FARM install again
• Issue: Setup fails with the error: “AS: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.”
• Issue: On reinstall, cannot create file for Secure Store or State Services
• Issue: SharePoint do not seem to work after installation; ULS logs report “allowInsecureTransport” errors
• Issue: Data refresh reports “Access to the port is denied” errors
• Issue: Snapshots cannot be generated (big “X” on all icons)