Connecting to local server in SQL Server Management Studio - sql

I have tried EVERY suggestion I have found so far in SE and nothing works. Let me explain what is going on.
I am a PHP developer and I am making a transition to ASP. So I am developing a website locally and I need a database going, also locally. But like I said, I can't add the NORTHWND database because I don't have the server up and running. I read through the tutorials and I seen to be missing a piece of every puzzle.
I have SQL Server 2008 running.
These guys Add Database say to attach the database via VS12. I have no such option to "Attach"
These guys here Connect to your server say to connect to the SQL server but I can't connect. When I try, I get an error that says:
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while
establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or
was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that
SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named
Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)
(.Net SqlClient Data Provider)
I also noticed there was a localdb with username LOTUSMS. I don't remember ever making a username for anything here. And I can't remove it or make one up. (Windows Authentication)
And then these guys Turn on your Server Service say the Server must be up and running and to log into the SQL server Configuration Manager and ensure the SQL services are running. Well, they are not. It says "the remote procedure call failed" and there is no other options to restart or edit or anything
So as you can see, I know my problems, but I can't find the solution to them. Anyone? I am not sure as to what logs or extra evidence you may need, so before I go adding unnecessary text and pics here, I'll leave it open and produce the evidence as requested.
Thanks in advance

Related

SQL Server connection failure (name pipes error 40)

I am having an issue at work that is driving me mad. I am new to SQL, and am finding my legs as a system administrator (trial by fire). We have a production server that runs a SQL database and I am trying to mimic the production server in a stand-alone (test) environment. My stand-alone server is of the exact hardware and I have ghosted the production server drives on to the test server (stand-alone) as well. Everything is identical. The only difference is my test server is not in a domain. Its only in a workgroup. My setup consists of one client machine (Windows 7) and the test server running Server 2008r2(SP2)+ SQL Server 2008r2.
We have applications that connect to the database and when I run the applications (connect to the database?), I get the following error.
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 5)
I have been researching this error for about 3 months now. I am at my wits end. I have tried all the solutions I could find. Most of the solutions I found here at this site. Enable remote connections-DONE, Firewall execptions-not necessary as I can disable the firewall since I'm on a standalone network, but I have been down that road before and it did not help. I don't think this is a network issue as I am using just a switch with the server and one client connected. I can ping back and forth between the systems.
I've tried so many other solutions that I cant even remember them all. Changed so many settings I've lost count. Thank goodness I can re-image the server back to normal if I feel I've gone to far and changed too many settings to where I can't remember what I've done.
As you can tell, I probably only make things worse the more I try to fix the error, but I have no choice. Everyone is looking at me to fix this and get the test server working, but I need some help. A huge thank you in advance to anyone that can help me solve this. It would be greatly appreciated!

Confused by SQL error documentation, how to find cause?

I tried to login to a remote server and I saw the error given at the link -
http://www.microsoft.com/products/ee/transform.aspx?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=2
Message says -
Message: An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)
Which is followed by -
Explanation
SQL Server did not respond to the client request because the server is probably not started.
Arent the message and explanation contradicting each other ? Which one is the correct reason for the problem ? How do i find out the REAL source of the problem ?
They don't contradict each other. They just give different possible reasons:
SQL Server doesn't allow remote connections
SQL Server is not started
To fix it, make sure that SQL Server allows remote connections and is started.
Allowing remote connections can be done in the "SQL Server Configuration Manager":
Start that program on the server on which SQL server is installed.
Navigate to "SQL Server Network Configuration" -> "Protocols for "
Double click on the connection type - e.g. Named Pipes - and set "Enabled" to "Yes".
If you are enabling TCP/IP, make sure to also enable each individual IP address on the second tab.
See this blog post for more info.
Thee program you are using is unable to find SQL server on the port/address it expects to.
This is likely either because it is misconfigured, or because SQL server is stopped.
I suggest you open a desktop login to the machine in question, and see if SQL server is running.
There are other potential causes for this problem, as well: network problems, for example.

The server was not found or was not accessible - Server was lost for 6 hours

First off, I only have a very basic understanding of SQL. I can create tables etc. but configuration is beyond me. I am running my web site with MVC3 ASP.Net on a windows 2008 server using SQL Express.
Everything works fine, my connection strings are correct, I can use the website and it reads and writes to the dB, I can also view the dB with management studio on the server.
Today I got the following error:
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while
establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or
was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that
SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL
Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance
Specified)
When I tried to log on to the database in management studio on the server I get a similar error. the only fix I have found is for a server restart. The database was down for 6 hours before I noticed which is not good for a start up website.
Has any one seen this issue before? Is this an express issue? Any help or advice would be great.
Troubleshoot as you would any network error. Start with the server's event logs.
As for notification of downtime, there are a lot of web services that will monitor your web site and email or send you an SMS message if it's not responding. Two that I've used are uptimerobot.com and basicstate.com. There are dozens of others.
You could also rewrite your ASP.Net app to email or text you when certain kinds of errors happen.

Cannot login to sql server 2008 R2 after rebooting server

I am using Windows-server-2008 with Microsoft SQL Server 2008.
And there are a lot of questions about this, but nothing on the internet solved it.
The problem is that i can't connect to the my SQL Server 2008 R2 after rebooting my server.
I placed some new memory in my server, and after rebooting my client/server application didn't work anymore because it cannot reach the database.
So i tried to get in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), and tried to loggin with Administrator and another user but both do not work.
When i logg in the following message is displayed:
Cannot connect to (local)
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection
to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance
name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections.
(provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)
(Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 2)
I Tried a lot of different things like:
Rebooting server
Try to start the server manually from Sql Server Configuration Manager
Named Pipes - Enabled
TCP/IP - Enabled
Tried to create an new system user or database user as described in the following article: Click Here
Can somebody please help me? I am really confused because i need to get this online. Otherwise i have to reinstall the database server but i do not have a back-up. (is there some folder with a back-up of the settings/tables/columns are stored and can be imported from reinstall?
I was having the exact same problem. net start mssqlserver was giving me the blurb about a failed login attempt. The problem was that I had recently changed the password for the administrator account, and the new password didn't get updated in services.
Here's how I fixed it:
First locate SQL Server from the list here:
Right click and select properties, and navigate to the Log On tab:
Then I typed the new password, and like magic I was able to start SQL Server right through the services manager.
I also did this for any other processes which were marked as "stopped" even though Startup Type was marked as "automatic" (namely, SQL Server Agent).
Is it a named instance or default? Also, is this a local instance? (I see the "(local)" but just wanted to make sure.)
Start the sql server services from services.msc and try to connect

SQL Server 2008 R2 First Time Login

I've just started work on a new computer in which I had to download all the software fresh.
I've just download a copy of SQL Server 2008 R2, and I'm trying to connect to SQL Server Management Studio without success. I vaguely remember last time I installed this, it asked me to choose between windows, or sql server authentication, however this didn't happen for this installation.
If I try to login via Windows Authentication (where the username and password fields are greyed out, localhost as server name) it gives the following error:
"A Network-related or instance
specific error occured while
establishing a connection to SQL
Server. The server was not found or
was not accessible. Verify that the
instance name is correct and that SQL
Server is configured to allow remote
connections. (provider: Named Pipes
Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a
connection to SQL Server) (Microsoft
SQL Server, Error: 2)"
I have checked everything in SQL Server Configuration Manager, and everything bar VIA is enabled.
If I try SQL Server Authentication, It asks me for a username and password which I definiately have not set yet. Also, under SQL Server Services in configuration manager, there is nothing there.
Any help would be appreciated :)
Thanks
PS: I don't know if it's worth mentioning but I am running Windows 7 as a virtual machine on a Mac.
Are you sure you have the correct instance name? If it was SQL Server 2008 R2 Express Edition then the default instance name is .\SQLEXPRESS.
Also if your using sql authentication to connect try running sql management studio as admin, if you are a limited user your identity might not be mapped to an account in sql server yet but i believe the Administrators user group is.
You need to check if your services are running.
Please type
net start mssqlserver
in your command prompt. Then try to login.
Ended up reinstalling completely and doing a fresh install from a fresh download. When I did this I was brought through the steps of selecting the default instance, and selecting authentication modes.
Working fine now :)
After checking tons of sites looking for an answer to this question, I think I have a simple solution.
Open the sql Server Configuration
Click on the sql server services node
Right Click on Sql server
Click Start.
I have been screwing around with this forever, and this simple method actually worked.