InstantForum.NET v2.9.0SQLServerCentralhttp://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/notifications@sqlservercentral.comThu, 20 Jun 2013 02:52:56 GMT20http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic872726-1292-1.aspxThat'll make a difference! :-)Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:00:07 GMTGSquaredhttp://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic872726-1292-1.aspxThanks - that is an interesting link. I have resolved my problem with simply typing in MY-PC-NAME\SQLEXPRESS in the connection dialog instead of expecting it to be in the drop-down - doh!Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:26:45 GMTLorna-331036http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic872726-1292-1.aspxYou can use the DAC if you are a local administrator to connect and reset things[url]http://blogs.msdn.com/sqlexpress/archive/2005/09/08/462609.aspx[/url]Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:03:30 GMTSteve Jones - SSC Editorhttp://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic872726-1292-1.aspxIs your login a local administrator?Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:27:07 GMTGSquaredhttp://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic872726-1292-1.aspxHiI have SQL Server 2008 Express Edition installed on my laptop running Vista Home edition. I cannot seem to connect to an instance in the SSMS 'Connect to Server' dialog - the options in the Server name drop-down only give (local) with no mention of a SQL Server instance! I tried connecting to local but It won't let me in under Windows authentication and doesn't let me change my login either. I cannot get in under SQL authentication either because I don't know the login details! It all works fine under Visual Studio 2008 Express for my web sites so I don't want to reinstall it - are there any ways around this as I need to restore a DB and work on it in SSMS??Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:26:03 GMTLorna-331036