Sqlcmd error

Question

Sqlcmd: Error: Microsoft ODBC Driver 11 for SQL Server : Named Pipes Provider: Could not open a connection to SQL Server [2]. . Sqlcmd: Error: Microsoft ODBC Driver 11 for SQL Server : Login timeout expired. Sqlcmd: Error: Microsoft ODBC Driver 11 for SQL Server : 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. For more information see SQL Server Books Online..

Answer 1

It looks like you're encountering a connection issue with SQL Server. Here are a few things you can check to troubleshoot:

1. Verify the Server Name – Ensure that you're using the correct server name in your connection string. If you're using a named instance, try 'MACHINENAME\INSTANCE_NAME' instead of just 'MACHINENAME'.
2. Check SQL Server Configuration – Open SQL Server Configuration Manager and confirm that Named Pipes and TCP/IP are enabled under SQL Server Network Configuration.
3. Firewall Settings – Temporarily disable your Windows Firewall and test the connection again. If this resolves the issue, you may need to add an exception for SQL Server.
4. SQL Server Authentication – If you're using SQLCMD, ensure that you're passing the correct authentication parameters. Try running:

      sqlcmd -S <ServerName> -U <Username> -P <Password>
   

5. If you're using Windows Authentication, omit '-U' and '-P'.
6. Check SQL Server Services – Open Services.msc and confirm that SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER) is running.
7. Use Localhost – If you're connecting to a local instance, try using localhost instead of the machine name.

If none of these work, let me know what you've tried, and we can dig deeper!