Troubleshoot Connectivity Issue with SQL Server Express 2005

Recently, we answered a lot of customer questions about how to make a successful connection to SQL Express 2005 through MSDN forum and our blogs. Here, I collect basic info about it and a brief guide of making local and remote connection to SQL Server Express 2005.

Part I - Quick overview with SQL Server 2005 Express Edition:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/

https://msdn.microsoft.com/sql/express/

https://www.microsoft.com/sql/editions/express/default.mspx

 

Part II - SqlExpress Weblog and Forum:

https://blogs.msdn.com/sqlexpress/default.aspx

https://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=385&SiteID=1

 

Part III - SQL Express Connectivity

From Protocols point of view, I would like to give a brief guide about how to make a successful connection against Express Server from your client application.

First: Make sure the instance is running.

By default, SQL Server Express Edition is installed as a *Named Instance*, namely, it is not default instance called MSSQLSERVER, instead, by running "net start" or open services control manager, you will see a service named "MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS" running after installation. So, the instance name is "SQLExpress".

 

Secondly: Check Server ERRORLOG

Two ways:

1) By open the properties of the service, you will see the binary location, such as "C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL.1MSSQLBinnsqlservr.exe", so normally, if you do not change configuration for the log file location, it should be located ...MSSQL.XMSSQLLog. When you open the log file, you should see some keywords such as " Express Edition " and " Server name is '<machinename>SQLEXPRESS' " and " Server named pipe provider is ready to accept connection on [ \.pipeMSSQL$SQLEXPRESSsqlquery ]", etc.

2) Go to SQL Server Configuration Manager, open " SQL Server 2005 Services", choose "properties" for SQLExpress, in the advanced tab, there is a Filed called "Startup Parameter", you will find configured server log file location.

If your server was not started successfully by any reason, it is very helpful to collect info from server logs; also, you can get clear picture of protocols that server is listening on, for eg, if TCP was enabled, you should be able to see which port server is listening on, and if Np was enabled, you can make connection throgh the pipe name.

 

Thirdly: Make sure SQL Browser is enabld and running.

To enable browser, First, Use net start or go to sql configuration manager(SSCM), check whether sqlbrowser service is running, if not, start it; Secondly,You still need to make sure SqlBrowser is active. Go to SSCM, click properties of sqlbrowser service -> Advanced-> Active “Yes” or “No”, if sqlbrowser is running but is not active, the service would not serve your client with correct pipe name and Tcp port info on which your connection depends.

 

Fouthly: Configure Express if you want to mak remote connection.

By default, Named Pipe and TCP/IP Protocols were disabled after installation of SQL Express, hence, if you want to make named pipe and tcp connection, you need to follow the below instructions: https://blogs.msdn.com/sqlexpress/archive/2005/05/05/415084.aspx

 

Finally: Make sure correct connection string in your client application.

There are bunch of connection properties that you can specify for a SQL Connection through different providers, here, I just point to the "Server" field that point to which instance you want to connect.

Remember whenever you make connection to Express, it is a named instance, namely, you need to specify the instance name in the connection string.

 

Best practice, especially the server part in conection string.

Local Connection:

"Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=<MachineName>SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=master;Integrated Security=SSPI ";

<MachineName> could be ".", "(local)","localhost", "<localhostname>".

Remote Connection:

"Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=<MachineName>SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=master;Integrated Security=SSPI ";

<MachineName> could be "<remotehostname>", "<remoteIPAddress>","<FQDNofremotemachine>".

If you do not want to put intance name in the connection string, you can avoid that by specifying alias or "<machinename>,port", but we do not recommend those, since those are not convienient for you druing troubleshooting.

 

Summary:

If you encounter any questions about connectivity issue with SQL Express, please bring any exception that you saw for the above steps, and we will help you to solve the problem.

 

MING LU

SQL Server Protocols

Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights