Cannot connect to MYSERVER\SQLEXPRESS

Hi,

i installed Sql server 2005 express edition on an windows xp professionel sp2 system, which is also the IIS server..
Of course i first installed .net Framework 2.0.

I installed it with an administrator account and used following options:
local system
services sql server / sql browser
windows authentification
enable user instance
add user to sql server adminsys role

Further i went to Sql server Configuration Manager and did:
protocols for MSSQLSERVER (service): TCP/IP and shared memory enabled

Finaaly, i went to Sql server Surface Area and did: remote connections:
local and remote connections
using TCP/IP only (and later i also tried: using TCP/IP and named pipes)

My problem is:
-----
when starting Sql server Management Studio express, everything seems ok: i see the server name, authentification (windows), user name (the admin
account), but when clicking on "connect" button, after a while, i get the error:
"Cannot connect to MYSERVER\SQLEXPRESS.
An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that
under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating
Server/Instance Specified) (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)".

I don't understand because:
1) the optiion 'remote connections' is enabled (with tcp/ip)
2) i even don't use remote connections because sql server is installed on
the same server as the IIS server.

I really have no idea what's the problem and how to solve this. I uninstalled everything twice (.net framework included) but still same error.

Thanks for help.
Tartuffe

check to make sure the service is started.

Start --> Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> Services

In the "Services" window, make sure the service is started. If it is started, try re-starting it.

|||

Hi there!

I am also having a similar problem, but in my case management studio just does not detect any database engine instance (it is running and I checked it) and the drop-down list for servername is empty! I even tried rebuilding the OS and installed SQL server 2005 again, but in vain. Kindly post a solution if you arrive at it, so will I.

Regards

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Hello vraval, try this:

[HOSTNAME]\SQLEXPRESS example: SEAN\SQLEXPRESS

to get the host name, open the sql server configuration manager --> "SQL Server 2005 Services" on the left --> right click and select "properties" on 'SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS) - in the right window. In the properties menu, select the 'service' tab and you can find the Host Name property here. Put the HOSTNAME, followed by \SQLEXPRESS -- HOSTNAME\SQLEXPRESS as the server name when logging in.

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Hi Sean!

Many thanks for the reply and solving my problem. I am now able to connect to my database engine.

God knows why Microsoft People do not show these important directions.

Thanks and warm regards.

|||

Hi all,

glad for you Vraval, but i still have that error after restarting the service (which was started anyway).

i tried with shared memory, with tcp/ip, without Zone alarm, with a time-out of 60 sec etc ... still same error.

What can i try more?

|||Hello tartuffe,

Check out the following links, if them do not help .. im out of ideas. Im sure you have searched and most likely have found these post also from the way it sounds, but here they are:

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=271795&SiteID=1

http://aspnet.tribe.net/thread/628e81d8-6a77-4687-ac16-085d54a376f2

have you asked your question on the MSDN forums? if not, you should search and ask the question there also :) They are also informative and the forums have a wealth of information.|||Sean, i found it:

i reinstalled sqk server express, but it changed the instance name to
MYSERVER (instead of .\SQLEXPRESS). So the connection strings didn't work
and generated that error which has nothing to do woth remoting connections.

Thanks anyway