SQL Server Express cannot log in as 'sa' - error 233

Question

Hi,

I recently installed Microsoft SQL Server Express version 14.0.1000, and then I installed SQL Server Management Studio version 18.8. When I open Management Studio, I am able to log on to SQL Server using Windows authentication. After doing this, I enabled the built-in 'sa' account (it was disabled by default) and assigned it a password. I then closed and restarted Management Studio, hoping I could log in as 'sa'. When I try to do this, I get an error message with the following information:

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TITLE: Connect to Server

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Cannot connect to KK-AMNEAL-1215.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process. (provider: Shared Memory Provider, error: 0 - No process is on the other end of the pipe.) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 233)

For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=233&LinkId=20476

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No process is on the other end of the pipe

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BUTTONS:

OK

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If anyone can give me a clue as to what might be preventing me from logging in as 'sa', I would greatly appreciate it. (The reason I would like to enable the 'sa' account is because I am hoping to use SQL Server Express as to store alarms generated by 3rd party industrial automation software, and this 3rd party software doesn't seem to support Windows Authentication.

Thanks and best regards,
Paul

Answer 1

First of all, since that is the RTM version of SQL 2017, you should apply the most recent Cumulative Update, which I believe is CU22. This gives you many bug fixes and enhancements.

However, whether it will address this specific issue, I don't know. Did you check the SQL Server errorlog? There can be some more information there. (You find the errorlog in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.SQLEXPRESS\LOG\ERRORLOG, assuming a default installation of SQL Express.

Then again, the error message talks about KK-AMNEAL-1215 without giving any instance name. Could that be the problem? Or how did you install SQL Express?

You did restart SQL Server after you enabled SQL authentication, didn't you?

Answer 2

Did you enable SQL authentication - or just try to enable the 'sa' account? If the latter - that won't work because you need SQL authentication enabled, and by default when you install SQL Server it installs as windows authentication only.

Answer 3

Hi @Paul Kraemer ,

Are there any updates to this issue?
Please make sure the TCP/IP and Named pipes is enabled in SQL Server Configuration Manager->SQL Server Network Configuration ->Protocols for your instance.
Please using Windows authentication in SSMS to login and go to server name and right-click to select properties ->select security tab, ensure you have enabled the SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode. If not, you need to enable it and restart the SQL Server service.
In addition, if you connect to SQL Server from remote computer, please make sure to allow SQL Server to accept remote connections.

Best Regards,
Amelia

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