Can’t use connect using (local) or localhost as a server name

  • Hello everyone

    I have a laptop with SQL Server 2008 installed locally. I can only connect to the server by specifying the instance name (this is true of connection attempts using SSMS, datasources in SSRS, etc.)

    It would greatly simplify things if I could connect using (local) instead of the instance name.

    When I try using (local), it tells me the “server was not found or is inaccessible”.

    Can anyone please tell me what I should do to configure this?

    Thanks in advance for your help.

  • Did you rom the sounds of it, you installed a named instance, which means you have to specify the instance to which you are connecting.

  • Thanks for the response, Lynn. The software was installed by someone else but I was unaware that using a named instance would create this issue so I wouldn't have known any better myself. I thought if you were working on the same box that had the database engine, you could always use local.

  • jshahan (7/18/2013)


    I thought if you were working on the same box that had the database engine, you could always use local.

    The box can host more than one instance of the engine, and therefore any instances must be referred to by name. Only the default instance allows you to connect using (local).

    You can run SQL Server Configuration Manager to see installed instances.

    The SQL Guy @ blogspot[/url]

    @SeanPearceSQL

    About Me[/url]

  • Well you could always connect:

    [servername],port

    This will prevent you from needing the instance name. Quirky but works.

    Steve

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply