Tim Huffam

Tim, thanks so much for posting this. Specifying the instance name hit the spot first time.
Much obliged..cg

Holy crap. I cannot believe how much time I've spent on this and nobody else every mentioned machine/instance. Fixed it straight away. Thanks

Instance name, damnit why don't they make it more obvious! Cheers for posting this, very glad to have fixed it.

Iam getting the same kind of an error, but the thing is i don have MS SQL 2005, i only have MS SQL Server 2000. I use Dot Net framework 2.0. The error is like
An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)

Could u please tell me how to correct this.

Damn I wasted like an hour trying to figure this out!! Thanks for the post =P They need to add (MachineName\Instance) after "Server name:" on they add connection window!!

Thanks. Very much appreciated.

I'm running XP Pro with SQL 2005 Express. I installed using the default option insted of a named instance. I've tried different combinations:
machinename\instance = Pluto\default

and it's not working.

Any advice?

Robert - SQL 2005 always uses an instance (ie so does the default install) - so you'll still need to specify the instance name - as in the example I posted.
HTH
Tim

Arun - sorry mate - not sure about that as I've not tried it. However, at a guess the problem is with driver/provider... my guess is that it requires an instance name (yes sql2000 does actually use instances as well) - so go look in Enterprise Manager to see what the instance name is - from memory it's the name of the server in brackets beneath the SQL Server Group node - ie (local) - so try adding "\local" to your db name in the connection string.
hth
t

Ur idea is realy thankfull,Before i tried a lot with many options but some error i would got ... now after reading ur solution i tried with \sqlexpress in small letters instead of \SQLEXRESS it worked out... My problem got solved . Thanks a lot once agian

The full error is:
An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server.  When connecting...

Man.. you are great!!! the server instance name thing worked for me

The server instance name did it for me...thanks so much for the post.

You are the man

You've just saved me from a few more hours grief - top work.

Thanks so much Tim, this solved my problem and saved me many hours.

Tim;

Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks and... thanks again!

I'm fighting with this problem already have 4 days with no solution!

Now I have a solution

Thanks again!

Thanks - Wasted half a bloody day already !

Tim:

Thank you so much!!!! I have wasted so many hours on this already and finally it worked and finally I can move on. I am so happy!!!! =D

Thanks again!

Hi Tim!

It seems that you made have a million developers happy (me included!). I nearly threw my PC against the wall because it just didn't work. After I found your posting my life felt a lot better!

Many thanks and all the best for you!

Many thanks, man!:)

Hi,

I am still getting the error. Below is my connection query- Simple test query. And i checked the surface area config the tcp/ip and namedpipes are selected.

When i use the database connection tools and work with the data set it works.

Please help me. Tx

string connString = "server=SAM/Sam<semicoln>" +
"uid=userSQL405<semicoln>pwd=1Qazxcvb<semicoln>" +
"database=dbVS405"<semicoln>
//string connString = "server=(local)<semicoln>Trusted_Connection=yes<semicoln>database=dbVS405"<semicoln>
string selection = "select * from tblEmployees where empid ='002'"<semicoln>
SqlConnection sc = new SqlConnection(connString)<semicoln> // get ready to connect
sc.Open()<semicoln> // connect
SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(selection, sc)<semicoln> // get ready to read
SqlDataReader sdr = cmd.ExecuteReader()<semicoln> // really get ready!
while (sdr.Read()) // read at last
{
listBox1.Items.Add(sdr["empid"].ToString())<semicoln>
listBox1.Items.Add(sdr["firstname"].ToString())<semicoln>
listBox1.Items.Add(sdr["lastname"].ToString())<semicoln>
listBox1.Items.Add("")<semicoln>
//listBox1.Items.Add(sdr.GetString(0)); // empid
}
sdr.Close()<semicoln>
sc.Close()<semicoln>
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
listBox1.Items.Add(ex.Message)<semicoln>
}

Thanx Jim, I was also loosing my time in a not so smart way... :-)

Hi,

I had a similar problem. My website was on the local machine too. It was not a fault with "Remote connections" at all!
Actually, I was typing (local)/sqlexpress instead of <b>(local)\sqlexpress</b> ... (<b>use backslash</b> instead of forward slash)!!
Phew! Sometimes the smallest of things can frustrate you!

One and a half days working with error 40 in SQL Server 2005, 1000+ pages searched and read on google, 3 books, believe it or not-from MS Press!!--way to go Microsoft-nothing like incompetent documentation of their own products.

Thanks for having the foresight to post this on the web. Kudos man!

machinename\sqlexpress worked for me...other similar combinations kept bombing, including localhost\sqlexpress...

Most websites dealing with connecting to MS SQL DB using ASP.NET & ADO.NET suggest localhost. Replacing this with server\instance worked for me. Thanks!

My computer can connect remote SQL Server 2005. But others doesn't. Why?

My Machine name is "TASPWEB" and i am accessing Northwind database.
what will be my connection string in vb.net
"Data source = TASPWEB;Initial Catalog= Northwind;user id = sa;password=sa"

Hi, I tried this but didnt work at all. My SQL SERVER 2005 instance was running properly till yesterday. I installed IE 7 today and after installing IE7 i cud not connect to SQL SERVER 2005 and its showing the message :

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 2)



Please helpppppp

thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what will be the connection string if my machine name is "mac" and server name is "DBserver" and database is "empdb"

If u get this provider:named pipe provider ble bla.... first u need to check ur connection string. if the connection string is correct and then aslo u r getting this error then in configuration manager u enable tcpip and remoting protocol...

Happy coding !!

Good stuff!!

Back slash ... Forward slash ... who would have thought there would be such a difference!

Amazing! Just been trying to figure out this problem for the last hour. 2 seconds on this page fixed my app!

Nothing worked for me..
Still getting the error..

I use php 5 and i'm trying tp connect to sqlexpress 2005 with this connection string
$msconnect=mssql_connect("COMPUTER_NAME\SERVER_INSTANCE_NAME","USERNAME","PASS");
I get the error "Unable to connect to localhost"..I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!1

I use php 5 and i'm trying tp connect to sqlexpress 2005 with this connection string
$msconnect=mssql_connect("COMPUTER_NAME\SERVER_INSTANCE_NAME","USERNAME","PASS");
I get the error "Unable to connect to localhost"..I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!1

hello

i tried "osql -E -Q "SELECT * FROM ..." and i get the error "Named Pipes Provider..." how can i fix it?

SQL2000/VS2005/db name is DVS/Working connstring is - connectionString="Data Source=*;Initial Catalog=DVS;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=*;Password=*"/ The Server Group Name is (local)(Windows NT)

If I add local\ or Windows NT\ to the Catalog name the connection wont even test OK, but just DVS works from my machine - the server is remote to me (the other side of the office on another machine!).
Now, when I promote my website to our webserver in the configuration that works on my machine - thats when I get the "provider: Named Pipes Provider, error 40 - Could not open connection to SQL Server" error. The server is remote to our webserver as well - weird or what??

Anyone got a clue about this

Cheers for reading this far

Dave

Sorry - forgot to say - I have switched on Named Pipes and TCPIP

Cheers

Dave

Dave, the catalog is the db name (not the server name). Data Source is the server and instance (if you have a named instance configured). If no instance name is configured just the name of the server (name of the machine running the sql server process) will suffice. If an instance is configured then you'll need to "\instance" to the server name (where instance is the instance name). eg:

Without a named instance:

Data Source=myserver;Initial Catalog=mydb;Integrated Security=true;Connection Timeout=1;

With a named instance:

Data Source=myserver\myinstance;Initial Catalog=mydb;Integrated Security=true;Connection Timeout=1;


hth
Tim

I'm being totally thick here!! (no change there then!!)
How do I know if there is a named instance or not?
Cheers
Dave

Probably the easiest way is to start up Enterprise Manager (either on your machine or on the db server itself).

If you can see the db listed in Enterprise Manager then it's instance will be listed.
eg if your db server has no instance it will say something like:
MYSERVER (Windows NT)
If it does have an instance then it will looks like this:
MYSERVER\THEINSTANCE (Windows NT)

In both cases ignore the (Windows NT) - ie just use the word after the server icon.

User this in your connection string.

hth
Tim

Thanks Tim - OK, On the server, it has a name of (ignore the quotes) "(local)(Windows NT)", and on my machine it has a name of "nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn(Windows NT)", so I would assume that there is no instance - true?
Beneath each of them is the normal structure of Databases, DTS, Management etc etc, and within the Databases are (strangely) all the databases that I use. Right - that sets the scene properly!!
So, any idea why I'm still getting the error?
I can feel it in my water that its going to be something stupid, but at the moment I cant see it - help please - sorry to take up so much of your time
Cheers
Dave

On the server it says 'local' because the db server is one the same machine as the instance of enterprise manager.
However from your machine it's using the ip address of the server (nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn) as it's not 'local' (ie it's not on your desktop).

So, to be safe always use the ip address - then your config file will work both when running on your pc and on the server.

eg:
connectionString="Data Source=nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn;Initial Catalog=DVS;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=*;Password=*"

FYI: you can use either the db server's ip address or it's machine name (which will resolve to an ip address internally).

Tim....
You are a star - it works - thanks for all the help.
Cheers
Dave
PS up and working bright and early this morning are'nt you!!

Help me i am having trouble with user name and password what should i do

Thank you!

SQL Server is so much more picky than Interbase when setting up databases. And the obscure error messages don't help.

But a post like yours does! Chapeau.

Oh boy!
Thnx to google for getting me to this page. I got nothing from MSDN forums regarding this very problem.

I am new to this, and istalled Vis Stud EE 2005 from a free disk on a UK mag. My problems start when I try to connect to a db using "Add Connection" dialog.

The Data source type specified in the tutorial is MS SQL server, Data Provider is .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL server...

I used the "Refresh" button next the Server Name textbox and get ATHLON2100\SQLEXPRESS as the server name.

Unfortunately, I still get the Error 40 "Named Pipes" message we are all talking about.

I've checked the config' manager but I can't find any reference to TCP/IP and remote access mentioned in some of the other responses. Except that TCP/IP is enabled as shown in "Protocols for SQLEXPRESS" and "Client Protocols"

I would really value some help with this!
Also, in an attempt to get an interface for SQL server, I downloaded and installed "Server Management Studio Express" from MS. This has a better interface, but I to scared to make any changes that I don't understand.

ps. This site goes straight into my Favourites, on top of MSDN forums.

Thanks from Ukraine:) That was very helpful...

??????? ??????? =?

Well bugger me, of course it was the instance name ........ now how come it took me 3 hours banging me head against the desk, and then 1 minute on google to find your suggestion, then oh look it works.

Thank you so much, add my name to the long list of "I'll buy you a pint" programmers.

Cheers from Derby,UK.

Jonathan

Thanks - saved me hours of hair pulling. I saw the error message and just groaned - I know that it was going to be one of those long trawl problems - but no, with your help all sorted very quickly. Thanks

Damn, spent 3 months with every possible combination of trial and errors. None worked. MS can sometimes be cruel. Thanks a lot Tim.

In order of priority you rule over MS and Google!

You are now like a god to me. I am bowing to you ... tomorrow I will sacrifice a goat in your name.

I usually gets the same error but as i restart the machine it starts working.

hello :-)

I want to connect from VS 2005 to a ms sql express server on a remote machine via .NET Framework-Data Provider for SQL Server.
I really tried anything you can imagine, just the server's name (name of the pc in network) in lowercase and uppercase letters and in any combination with the instance-name (shown for example when i have logged in to use MS SQL Server Management Studio Express: "<PC-NAME>\SQLEXPRESS") and in any combination with backslash and forward slash. i allowed remote-connections, mixed authentication, tcp/ip- and named-pipes-connections AND RESTARTED THE SQL SERVER. i can logon local with the same user and the same password and i really have ALL PRIVILEGS on all database objects. any solution i found until now didn't work - please help me, i'm really desperate ;-(

Hi,
I got the following error while trying to un install my product. Can anybody help me to eliminate this error ....?


SQL Server 2005 SQLExpress error: ...provider: Named Pipes Provider, error 40 - Could not open connection to SQL Server

1 connection ??: example :
connectionString=@"Data Source=*;Initial Catalog=DVS;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=*;Password=*"/

2 ???????, ???????,?,??????
try

my god it is Support Chinese

Take a look your fire wall or connectionstring add @

Wow - Thanks - adding "\sqlexpress" did the trick. Thanks for helping me find that needle in the haystack! As with others you have saved me a bunch of hours.

Adding \sqlexpress worked for me

thanks :) , this fixed my problem.

Million thanks for your posting. You saved
my day with the \sqlexpress

Half a day wasted reading many Microsoft articles...

Read this and 30 seconds later the problem was solved.

Nice one dude!

Thank you so much for this great posting, I won't claim I searched too much or read too much, I was lucky to find this post straight away,

thank you Tim,

Manal

Way to go Timmy
The World is mine!!!!!!

I'd like to add my thanks to all the others. I was tearing my hair out following all the various troubleshooting procedures when I cam eacross your suggestion to name the instance. Presto! problem fixed...

THANKS!! Been bugging me for hours!

typeing in server\sqlexpress wasn't enough for me. I had to enable all four protocols: Shared memory, via, tcp/ip, named pipes, and then it worked. I think it was the shared memory that did the trick.

all you need is:

CONN_STRING = "Server=.\\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=master;Integrated Security=SSPI";

NOTE: write server name with TWO left slashes ( .\\ SQLEXPRESS ) !!!

You must allow Remote Connections too:

Start->Programs->Sql Server 2005->Configuration Tools->SQL Server Surface Area Configuration. Click "Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections". Choose "Database Engine->Remote Connections", select "Local and Remote Connections", Apply, OK

For me I got the same error because the SQL Serve instance was stopped. I just had to SQL Server Config Manager and start the server and it solve the problem.

This ate up my entire day of searching for solutions!! The <machinename>\sqlexpress worked for me!

You would think Microsoft will be smart enough to either put in a more descriptive error message or even put more helpful information in their website. Tsk tsk.

Glad we have someone like you, Tim!

Thanks!

Thanks man, you saved a bro's *ss i has like 20 minutes trying to connect to sqlexpress and loving sql2000

:)

THank you for the help!

the name of the server must be same as the 'server name' that appears in the first popup when you open the MS SQL server.
the following connection string worked for me:
"Trusted_Connection=yes;server=yourLAPTOP\SQLEXPRESS;database=your_database";

thanx firedog

u saved my time god save yours

i have the same problem when try to connect from windows 98 to sqlserver2000(windows xp no sp2) my application was developed in vb2005, the first problem was "cannot generate SSPI context", i solve this erased the trusted connection = SSPI, but now have the "error 40 could not open connection to sql Server", i read the back post and i tried the solutions but anything works

please help me....
Server=xtreme;Database=AX;Trusted_Connection=false; not work

Server=nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn;Database=AX;Trusted_Connection=false; not work

thanks

Amazing forum..
Thanks all of you.

How Can i connect to sql server on another machine which connect through a router ?

Thanks. You just dug me out of a hole that I have spent the last two hours in

I've been at this all day and still "no worky". I've got everything enabled that could possibly be enabled. Here's the connectionStrings I'm playing with. See anything I should change?

<add name="LocalSqlServer" connectionString="data source=BART;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=ASPNETDB.MDF;User ID=admin;Password=password;User Instance=true" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />


<add name="LocalSqlServer" connectionString="data source=BART;Integrated Security=SSPI;AttachDBFilename=|DataDirectory|aspnetdb.mdf;Connect Timeout=20;User Instance=true" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />

Please tell me there's something I overlooked in the strings!

Great Solution, simple and short! good job.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I had the exact problem described at the top of this doc. By changing the server name the connection worked. Boo to Ms and Yeah to you!
Kiley

I tried everything mentioned above, however I still get the same error...

I tried with xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\SQLEXPRESS, name, name\SQLEXPRESS.

I tried with ODBC Datasource, SQL Server (both OLEDB & SQL), SQL DB file.

I tried with Windows authentication & SQL server authentication

I Tried with/without Firewall

Simply, it does not work for me. Always the same error...

I have enabled remote connections for both tcp/ip and named pipes and restarted the server, I even restarted the machine.

What am I doing wrong?

thank you it worked when I tweaked the catalogue now I can do my college project in C# using SQL as my data source thanks Tim and Dave for presenting the Questions and Answers I needed! THANK YOU, God bless you

Warning: mssql_connect() [function.mssql-connect]: Unable to connect to server:

$db = "abc";
$mssql_access = mssql_connect("STAR\SQLEXPRESS", "sa", "abc123");
mssql_select_db($db, $mssql_access);

DONT FORGET .\\

CONN_STRING = "Server=.\\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=master;Integrated Security=SSPI";

THANK S A LOT......... Same error.... what a way to start. Wish Microsoft were better with their tutorials. Anywayz, This site seems grt help. Its working now. THANKS A LOT TIM!!!

Hey As u have said i configured the instance and the server name, but its still the same.
Its giving the same error again...
And one more thing when i see the connection manager thats in the tray of the system...its also not connecting to itself locally but the server connects to others like sql 2000 server.
But not the 2005 server.
Please help me what shall i do?

Thanks in advance
Nav

If you are using SQL server 2000 and it is web application then add following tag in web.config under <system.web>
tag
<identity impersonate="true" userName="ABC\administrator" password="A*4B*5C*6"/>

Thank you for providing this.
It works!
I've looked for it for a long time.
I quoted it in my blog with the URL.
Thanks.

Brilliant, I searched multiple web sites that claimed to solve this problem and this is the only one that worked.

Thanks
Tim

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! I WAS tearing my hair out over this.....ugh cant MS just make SQL EXP run like reg MSSQL...