Question

On my machine there are two instances of SQL Server
SQLEXPRESS
MSSQLSERVER

I’m trying to connect to the MSSQLSERVER, but I keep getting

{“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: 25 – Connection string is not valid)”}

Here’s the connection string:

  connectionString="data source=.\MSSQLSERVER;Integrated Security=SSPI;initial catalog=OdeToFoodDB"
         providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"

I’m trying to get the server visible to remote connections, but it doesn’t work.

doing sqlcmd -L gets me:

Servers:
(local)
MACHINE1
MACHINE1\SQLEXPRESS

which seems strange given the fact that I disabled the SQLEXPRESS service, and only left the MSSQLSERVER running.

In Configuration Manager, in Network Configuration->Protocols for MSSQLSERVER I enabled the TCP/IP and Named Pipes, and in IP Addresses the setup is as follows:

but the server is still not available for remote access (netstat -nb shows no processes listening to 1433). My windows firewall is off.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

If your MSSQLSERVER is the standard instance it will take the name of the machine. So you should try:

connectionString="data source=MACHINE1;Integrated Security=SSPI;initial catalog=OdeToFoodDB"
         providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"