SQLserver Express connection error

Question

SQLserver Express connection error

Duggan, Daniel 96

I my VB2019 app and tried to run it in debug before I started editing it. However, I got this error message when the app opened a form with text boxed to be prepopulated with data from a SQLserver Express database:

The attempt to attach to the database failed with the following information:
A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process. (provider: SSL Provider, error: 0 - No process is on the other end of the pipe.)

I already have a version of this app that was complied and installed on the same computer months ago and it ran properly but now it also throws the error above.

I have tried stopping and restarting the SQLserver Express service and that didn't work. I also tried to refresh the mdf in VB2019 and threw the same error message.

Do you have a fix for this?

Erland Sommarskog 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2021-02-09T22:34:57.163+00:00

Is the Express instance on the local computer?

Does this only happen when you try to debug the application? What are you trying to debug? The VB code or the SQL code?

Have you checked the SQL Server error log if there are any errors (for instance stack dumps)?

What does "SELECT @@version" report?

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Erland Sommarskog 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2021-02-09T22:34:57.163+00:00

Is the Express instance on the local computer?

Does this only happen when you try to debug the application? What are you trying to debug? The VB code or the SQL code?

Have you checked the SQL Server error log if there are any errors (for instance stack dumps)?

What does "SELECT @@version" report?

Answer 1

Erland Sommarskog 134K MVP Volunteer Moderator

There are no stack dumps or similar in the errorlog that can be related to this problem.

However, I see this:

Microsoft SQL Server 2014 - 12.0.2000.8

You are running the RTM version of SQL 2014. You should download and install the most recent Service Pack which is SP3, and you should also apply the final Cumulative Update which is CU4.

This may resolve the problem, although I don't know for sure. But it the issue may be related to different TLS versions.

Duggan, Daniel 96 Reputation points

2021-02-12T15:21:23.507+00:00

Hello Erland,
Your recommendation to install the Service Pack worked. While installing it, it threw the same error message shown above, along with others. However, it showed green check marks indicating that all of the SP3 components were installed correctly. So, I re-booted and ran my installed app and it ran properly with no errors. It also worked in VS2019 debug on the version of my app that I am updating.
It's still a mystery why it stopped working, after months of working, but it's good now.
Thank you
Erland Sommarskog 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2021-02-12T22:07:22.76+00:00

I guess things stopped working because some Windows Update or similar wiped out the support for TLS 1.0. TLS 1.0 has been obsolete for quite a few years know. (Because it is not secured after having been cracked.)

I'm glad to hear that the SP resolved the problem!

Answer 2

Duane Arnold 3,216

One other thing, you can always do a Windows restore point back to when MS SQL Server was working. I think you have an option to only restore programs and not loose data files or configuration files and whatnot.

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Answer 3

Do you know what could cause that?

Named Piped interprocess communications is used by MS SQL Server and a client program running on the same local machine.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/io/how-to-use-named-pipes-for-network-interprocess-communication

Maybe, Named Pipes has been disabled for some reason on MS SQL Server Express.

https://www.sqlshack.com/sql-server-network-configuration/

I have tried stopping and restarting the SQLserver Express service and that didn't work. I also tried to refresh the mdf in VB2019 and threw the same error message.

What do you mean by the above, becuase if the MDF file was 'Attached' to the MS SQL Server engine, then there should be no refreshing involved, if you were actually using MS SQL Server Express with the database and not using LocalDB a MS SQL Server Express limited version of the database engine that works with a standalone MDF file?

Olaf Helper 47,616 Reputation points

2021-02-10T13:12:21.047+00:00

Named Piped interprocess communications is used by MS SQL Server and a client program running on the same local machine.

By default for local connections the "Shared Memory" protocol is used for communication with SQL Server, not named pipes.

Answer 4

Duggan, Daniel 96

Those suggestions didn't work. This is a VB2019 app that I am updating. I have an earlier version of this app installed on the same computer. They both ran without errors a week ago. Now they both throw this error. It look to me as though it would have to be an issue with SQLserver Express itself, in order to throw the same error in both debug and the installed app. Do you know what could cause that?

Karen Payne MVP 35,606 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2021-02-10T11:59:41.347+00:00

This is a VB2019 app that I am updating. I have an earlier version of this app installed on the same computer. They both ran without errors a week ago.

Yes I understand this is a VS2019/VB.NET applications and with that with no code changes means something has changes outside of Visual Studio but by no means does this look like a SQLEXPRESS issues. If you were to reinstall SQLEXPRESS you would most likely have the same issue. Normally when something like this doesn't work it's related to items I mentioned or something blocking access e.g. firewall rule or related to a system update.
Erland Sommarskog 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2021-02-10T22:59:55.707+00:00

I repeat my questions from last night:

What does "SELECT @@version" report?

Have you checked the SQL Server error log if there are any errors (for instance stack dumps)?
Duggan, Daniel 96 Reputation points

2021-02-10T23:21:37.323+00:00

I don't know what I am supposed to do with "What does "SELECT @@version" report?" but I have always been using SQL Server Express in Visual Studio VB.net and, based on the SQL Configuration Manager it appears to be SQL Server Express 2014
Erland Sommarskog 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2021-02-11T09:40:01.467+00:00

"SELECT @@version" is something you would run from a query window in SSMS (or from that matter from VS is that is possible), just like you would run any other query.

You find the SQL Server errorlog in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL12.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG. There may be some interesting information there. Or there may nothing at all which is relevant for the case.
Duggan, Daniel 96 Reputation points

2021-02-11T17:59:35.43+00:00

Attached is the most recent ERROR Log
67102-errorlog.txt

Answer 5

There are many reasons for this and if no code changes or changes to SQL-Server.

Try changing from Windows Authentication (if that is what is used) to SQL Authentication

In SSMS (SQL-Server Management Studio)

Right click on the server name and select properties
Select security tab
Enable the SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode
Restart the SQL Server

Otherwise reverse the above, SQL Authentication to Windows Authentication.

Another idea, if passwords are used, ensure they are not expired by logging in as admin to SSMS (SQL-Server Management Studio)

Also see the following which is not resolved but has things to try out.

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SQLserver Express connection error

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