An Extraordinarily Dumb Question

Roger Wright

But one that has me baffled. Yes, I've Googled, I've checked the online help, but I can't find an answer to this stupid question. Be kind - I'm old... I have SQL Server Express 2008 installed on my server and, for various reasons, I want to develop a db app on a WinXP client machine using the server instance. How do I connect to it? The local copy of the SQL Server Management tool only "sees" the local instance of SQL Server Ex 2005 on the XP client. I know a better solution would be to install the more recent version on the client, but it's a problem to do so. The client has a ton of RAM, but almost no drive space and no way to add more, while the server has little RAM and over a TB of drive space available. I really want to work from the client, but host everything on the server. Any tips?:confused:

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

SeMartens

Hi, I guess the problem is not that you are using an SQL Server 2005 Management Studio. To "see" the server on your client machine you need to start the SQL Server-Browser service on your server machine. This service propagates the name of the local sql server to remote machines. Let me know if this helps you. Regards Sebastian

It's not a bug, it's a feature! Check out my CodeProject article Permission-by-aspect. Me in Softwareland.

i j russell

By default, Sql Server Express is local only. You need to allow remote connections through the Surface Area Configuration tool accessed via your Start menu. I can't remeber if it is installed by default or if you need to install Management Studio Express to get access to it.

Roger Wright

Thanks, Sebastion - it worked, at least partially. I can "see" the database engine on the server, but I can't connect. I'll need to configure it to accept remote connections first. Back to the books to find out how...

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

Roger Wright

Thanks! The 2008 version doesn't have a Surface Area Configuration tool; it's built in to the Management Studio. All protocols are enabled ( my doing, not the default ), but when I try to connect from the client I receive error 10061 - the target server actively refused the connection. I'm logged in as an Admin on both machines, and the SQL Server Browser service is running on the server. Perhaps I have to install the 2008 version of the management studio on the client... Any thoughts on that?

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

Gary R Wheeler

With SQL Server 2005 Express, it seems I had to modify security settings to make it accept remote connections. I'm afraid I'm not very good at this sort of thing; my approach was to mash on the keys until it gave up in disgust and did what I wanted.

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Roger Wright

I may try your approach; nothing Microsoft has to suggest works.

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"