Getting Started with SQl Server 2008

[gemma-the-husky]

I have uninstalled/reinstalled SQL Server 2008 (Express) 3 times.

I just cant get a ODBC connection established.

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in cmd window

sqlcmd -L shows nothing
osql -L shows a . (period) listed as the service, and my sql server

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i was able to import data to sql server FROM an Acces DBS using import/export data tool

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but I am not able to upsize from Access, as I cant create the ODBC link , or select the appropriate SQL Server instance.



Any ideas?

 

[SOS]

Which ODBC driver are you using? You should be using the SQL Native Client (10) driver, not the regular SQL Server driver.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

i wasnt sure - i tried both, but i get the same error - i'll try the "10" version

 

[gemma-the-husky]

same thing

connection failed .. named pipes provider could not open a connection etc ertc

 

[Banana]

Hmm. Did you configure the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration? I can't remember what are the defaults, but it's possible that you need to enable Named Pipes or other things, and verify that you have the permissions. (In 2005, it used ot be that you had to use that tool to designate an administrator, but in 2008, it's now a part of the install routine so you should already be an administrator if you used 'Add Current User' at the point where it asks you to choose the administrator.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

it might be that

when i installed it asked me for a sa password (each time)

its currently PA55wrd;

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but when I try to connect with ODBC it offers me either windows security, or SQL security, but defaults for the latter to my login name of Dave.

I tried explicitly setting sa and the pwd, but that didnt help

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I just dont understand what its trying to do.

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I didnt see any way of setting up different users.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

Well I finally got somewhere

installed SQL server 2005

that didnt work either

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so I decided to start again

uninstalled SQL2008 AND SQL2005 - but the uninstalls didnt go clean so now i have partly installed copies of both.

Then reinstalled 2005 - which now works!!! so I'm happy - except I have all these non-properly uninstalled instances of SQL server. And I really do not understand the manual removal process described on MS knowledge base!

but i've upsized a couple of databases, trying to understand a couple of cryptic messages about keys, but they are working fine.