How to connect to local instance of SQL Server 2008 Express

I just installed SQL Server 2008 Express on my Vista SP1 machine. I previously had 2005 on here and used it just fine with the old SQL Server Management Studio Express. I was able to connect with no problems to my PC-NAME\SQLEXPRESS instance (no, PC-NAME is not my computer name ;-).

I uninstalled 2005 and SQL Server Management Studio Express. I then installed SQL Server 2008 Express on my machine and elected to have it install SQL Server Management Studio Basic.

Now, when I try to connect to PC-NAME\SQLEXPRESS (with Windows Authentication, like I always did), I get the following message:

Cannot connect to PC-NAME\SQLEXPRESS. A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: -1) For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=-1&LinkId=20476

When I installed SQL Server 2008, I had it use SQLEXPRESS as the local instance name. As far as I can tell, through SQL Server Configuration Manager, SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections.

When I went to the help link it mentions, the help page suggests the following:

• Make sure that the SQL Server Browser service is started on the server.
• Use the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration tool to enable SQL Server to accept remote connections. For more information about the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration Tool, see Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.

Well, as far as I can tell, there is no SQL Server Browser service on my system (looked in MMC for one, couldn't find one).

And the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration tool doesn't exist in SQL Server 2008. So good job there with your help documentation, Microsoft ;-).

I'm at a loss for what to do right now. I had a lot of work I was hoping to get done today after upgrading to 2008 (the person I'm working with got it up and running with no problem and told me it would be easy - he's also far better with database stuff that I am). Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong? I'd really appreciate it. If I can't get this working in a few hours, I'm going back to SQL Server 2005 (if that will even work, gah...).

Edit: I have tried turning Windows Firewall off, and that did not help. Also, I noticed that I do not have a "Data" directory under my SQL Server 2008 install directory tree - could I have possibly set something up wrong when I installed it?

Please check the ServerName which you provided. It should match with the below shown Name in the UserName textbox, and that name should followed with \SQLEXPRESS:

Start your Local SQL Server Service

• Start SQL Config Manager: Click Start -> Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 -> SQL Server Configuration Manager
• Start SQL Services: Set the SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS) and SQL Server Browser services to automatic start mode. Right-click each service -> Properties -> Go into the Service Tab

This will ensure they start up again if you restart your computer. Please check to ensure the state is "Running" for both services.

Login and authenticate with your Local SQL Server

• Now open up SQL Server Management Studio and click "Connect to Object Explorer" and select Server Name:

[Your PC name]\SQLEXPRESS

Example: 8540P-KL\SQLEXPRESS or (localhost)\SQLEXPRESS

• To find your PC name: Right click My Computer -> Properties -> Computer Name tab

• Alternative: Login using windows authentication: Using the user name [Your Domain]/[Your User Name]

Setup User Account

• Create a new Login acct: In SQL Mgmt Studio -> Expand your local Server -> Security -> Right click on Logins -> New Login

• Set Password settings on New User Account: Uncheck Enforce password policy, password expiration and user must change pw(Since this is local) Default database -> Your Database

• Grant roles to New User Account: User Mapping Page -> Map to your db and grant db_owner role Status Page -> Grant Permission to connect and Enable Login

Setup Access Permissions/Settings for User

• Enable all auth modes: Right click your Local Server -> Properties -> Security Tab -> Enable SQL Server and Windows Authentication Mode
• Enable TCP/IP: Open SQL Server Configuration Manager -> SQL Server Network Configuration -> Protocols for SQLEXPRESS -> Enable TCP/IP
• Restart SQL Server Service: You will have to restart the SQL Server(SQLEXPRESS) after enabling TCP/IP

Database Properties File for Spring Project

• database.url=jdbc:jtds:sqlserver://[local PC Computer
  name];instance=SQLEXPRESS;DatabaseName=[db name];

• database.username=[Your user name] database.password=[Your password]

• database.driverClassName=net.sourceforge.jtds.jdbc.Driver

If you want to view larger screen shots and better formatting of the answer with more details please view the blog article below: Setting up a Local Instance of SQL Server 2008 Blog Post:

I used (LocalDB)\MSSQLLocalDB as the server name, I was then able to see all the local databases.

Haha, oh boy, I figured it out. Somehow, someway, I did not install the Database Engine when I installed SQL Server 2008. I have no idea how I missed that, but that's what happened.