Configuration Manager; nothing under SQL Server Services

  • Honestly, I give up. I can't connect to this database as sa ('a network-related or instance-specific error occurred error 40 [etc.]') so I open up Configuration Manager, click on SQL Server Services, and... it's completely empty (see attached).

    Why would this happen?

    I'm connecting via remote desktop, and I'm an administrator on that machine (Windows Server 2008 R2). I've tried Google. The SQL Server service must be up and running because people are using that database right now.

    As before if you've read any of my posts, I'm fairly new here, everybody else has left and I know nothing about how this machine was set up. This job sucks. Any pointers would be gratefully received! Thanks.

  • The SQL Server service must be up and running because people are using that database right now.

    Just because people are connecting to a db does not mean that the db instance is where you think it is. If people are connecting to a database that you are trying to maintain/troubleshoot through an application you need to find where the connection string in the application is. It should tell you the instance name where the database is located.

    It is also possible that SQL Server is installed on the server you are trying to access yet you are just not seeing the services in SQL Server Configuration Manager. For example in your screenshot you are running SQL Server Configuration Manager that is from SQL Server 2008/2008 R2. If a newer instance of SQL Server is installed, like SQL Server 2012 it will not be able to see those newer services. Go to Control Panel > Services and see if any SQL Server services are listed.

    Joie Andrew
    "Since 1982"

  • Thanks for the reply. There are no newer instances. The service is running, although it took a while to find because it was given a very unusual name for some reason.

    Is there anything I can do to enable me to see the missing services in Configuration Manager?

  • Unusual name? That raises a red flag.

    Go to Start > Run > Services.msc

    and post the full name of the service running SQL

    Another option... if you are sure you have the correct box, you should be able to open Command Prompt and use sqlcmd -E

    thanks

  • Thanks for the help!

    Ok, it's called [Application name] 5.5 Server - [Application name], and under log on as it has .\[a username related to application name]

    sqlcmd -E returns:

    "Named Pipes Provider: Could not open a connection to SQL Server [2]. Sqlcmd: Error: Miscrosft SQL Server Native Client 10.0 : A network-related or instance-specific error has occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. Server is not found or not accessible. Check if instance name is correct and if SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections."

    Ironically that's exactly what I can't do :-D. I'm just going to Google it.

    Exactly the same thing happens whether I'm logged in as me (local administrator) or that username mentioned above.

  • There is something else you can try. Can you go to the directory that the SQL binaries are installed (normally something like c:\program files\microsoft sql server\MSSQL10_50.<instancename>\MSSQL), go to the log directory and there should be a series of files labelled ERRORLOG*. Can you post a copy of the ERRORLOG file (the one with no number at the end)? If it has the startup info we should be able to tell you how to connect.

    Joie Andrew
    "Since 1982"

  • I can't find anything like that at all; the menu structure looks very strange. I think I might have to get the contractor for the application in question to have a look at it when he's next in in a couple of weeks. It's a complete shambles.

    Thanks for the help, everybody. If I'd had any idea what I'd be taking on I wouldn't have touched this job with a bargepole ;-).

  • If you can't see a service called "SQL server..." something, it means you may not even have SQL installed there anymore... Or you are using express version.

    Last shot... You mention that is running under ./username. That means that someone created a local username on that server and its running those services. Do you have the password? If you do, you can logging to windows and try again connecting using ssms.

  • Good Day to all expert of SQL, I'm a newbie here, actually I'm not a geek or computer expert, our office has using something program to log something and trace up their updates something like that, as a assistant they put me here to operate it, they also trained me to how to maneuver this application, but suddenly just a few days I encounter this mess, I want to log-in and the sql server does not participate, I search from Google and Luckily I got into it, but It was only for a few days and then this is now the rotten days, I already got many ideas from net but it always same way...

    before from the SSCM I can Run the tree things there but lately the two of it does not work any more, (localSystem)

    [SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER) and SQL Server Agent (MSSQLSERVER)]

    their state is already Stopped

    is there any Ideas Can I do to fix this... 😥

    I want to upload my log error from SQL but it seems my Internet connection is very low. I try to update this tomorrow as I got free time to jump again here

  • Beatrix Kiddo (7/3/2013)


    I can't find anything like that at all; the menu structure looks very strange. I think I might have to get the contractor for the application in question to have a look at it when he's next in in a couple of weeks. It's a complete shambles.

    Thanks for the help, everybody. If I'd had any idea what I'd be taking on I wouldn't have touched this job with a bargepole ;-).

    It sounds like the server you are on is the application server that connects to the SQL server that is on another machine. I would call the vendor for the application and let them know you need the 'connection string for the SQL server', they will know exactly what you are talking about and point you in the right DIR. It's probably in the webconfig file which would be on the C:\.

    MCSE SQL Server 2012\2014\2016

  • Hi- this is a really old thread that has been bumped. Cringe! They actually ended up trashing and rebuilding that server because it was just all wrong. It was definitely meant to have SQL Server on it.

    I didn't update because I didn't have a satisfactory answer that might help anybody in the future; it was just one of those things. Thanks for the replies anyway though.

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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