SQL Server 2012 Express problem - help please!

  • So I'm trying to help one of my clients out. She's installed SQL Server 2012 Express as well as the Management Studio. However upon launching the management studio, she is unable to "login" using the default windows authentication.

    I did (what I assume) is exactly the same thing (Installed SQL Server 2012 express & the management studio, opened the management studio, clicked connect with Windows Authentication selected), and it logged me in fine. I have no experience with SQL Server 2012 Express, let alone any SQL Server program so that doesn't help. She has checked that the SQL Server instance name is correct. She has definitely installed both the management studio and the sql server express. She has tried to completely remove, uninstall and reinstall the software but still couldn't fix the problem. She doesn't have any previous version of SQL Server installed on her machine. She's logged in on an Administrator account. She has also tried to run the program as an Administrator as well to be sure. However, it still doesn't allow her to login.

    Where could she be going wrong here? I'd really appreciate the help. Cheers! 🙂

    When she clicks connect this the message she gets:

    ===================================

    Cannot connect to USER\SQLEXPRESS.

    ===================================

    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) (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)

    ------------------------------

    For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=-1&LinkId=20476

    ------------------------------

    Error Number: -1

    Severity: 20

    State: 0

    ------------------------------

    Program Location:

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action`1 wrapCloseInAction)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean callerHasConnectionLock, Boolean asyncClose)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.Connect(ServerInfo serverInfo, SqlInternalConnectionTds connHandler, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout, Int64 timerExpire, Boolean encrypt, Boolean trustServerCert, Boolean integratedSecurity, Boolean withFailover)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.AttemptOneLogin(ServerInfo serverInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout, TimeoutTimer timeout, Boolean withFailover)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.LoginNoFailover(ServerInfo serverInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, TimeoutTimer timeout)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.OpenLoginEnlist(TimeoutTimer timeout, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds..ctor(DbConnectionPoolIdentity identity, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, Object providerInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance, SqlConnectionString userConnectionOptions, SessionData reconnectSessionData)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionFactory.CreateConnection(DbConnectionOptions options, DbConnectionPoolKey poolKey, Object poolGroupProviderInfo, DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnection owningConnection, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)

    at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.CreateNonPooledConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, DbConnectionPoolGroup poolGroup, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)

    at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal oldConnection, DbConnectionInternal& connection)

    at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.TryOpenConnectionInternal(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)

    at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.TryOpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.TryOpenInner(TaskCompletionSource`1 retry)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.TryOpen(TaskCompletionSource`1 retry)

    at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open()

    at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlStudio.Explorer.ObjectExplorerService.ValidateConnection(UIConnectionInfo ci, IServerType server)

    at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.UI.ConnectionDlg.Connector.ConnectionThreadUser()

  • Check the firewall settings and verify SQL Server is able to allow connection.

    ---------------------------------------------------
    "Thare are only 10 types of people in the world:
    Those who understand binary, and those who don't."

  • [USER\SQLEXPRESS]

    Is that really the instance name? I would verify that first.

    Is she trying to connect remotely, or logged into the box? Has she tried to connect locally on the box? Try connecting locally. If able to connect locally then look at the network. (as mentioned firewall and remote connections).

    With SQL Express, you need to manually enable "remote connections" by "enabling" tcp/ip. A quick search of "how to enable remote connections for sql server 2012 express, or 2008r2 express" will give you the step by step.

    Other areas to look at are:

    Is the computer in the domain?

    Can you ping the hostname?

    Try connecting via IP and port, rather than instance name.

    Steve

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