Having trouble connecting to the SQL Server Management Studio database

0
votes

I've newly installed SQL Server Management Studio ("SSMS") and tried to connect to the database which is the first login screen that opens upon opening the application. I've watched videos online regarding how to connect to the database and I've understood the steps however, when I logged in with the appropriate windows credentials, it gave me the below mentioned error:

Error Message

I'm new to SSMS (probably the issue) and watching tutorials online where the instructor uses SSMS.

Operating System: Windows 10 SSMS Details - Release number: 18.3 Build number: 15.0.18178.0 Release date: September 23, 2019

This is personal computer and not a company system. The server I'm trying to connect to is the local machine itself using my windows credentials to the Database engine.

Copied error message:

TITLE: Connect to Server

Cannot connect to local.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

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: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 53)

For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft%20SQL%20Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=53&LinkId=20476

The network path was not found

BUTTONS:

OK

1
ssms
Have you installed SQL Server? If yes, Please follow this link: lansweeper.com/knowledgebase/… . Please let me know how you go. – Mahesh Waghmare
No I haven't. I've only installed SSMS. Is it necessary to install SQL Server as well to get going?. The video is helpful however it specifies changes that need me to get past that first log in screen. Anyway, will give it a check based on this method. – Marzipan
In the name SQL Server Management Studio, Management Studio is important. It's just an "IDE". From the documentation 'SSMS is an integrated environment for managing any SQL infrastructure, from SQL Server to Azure SQL Database. SSMS provides tools to configure, monitor, and administer instances of SQL Server and databases. Use SSMS to deploy, monitor, and upgrade the data-tier components used by your applications, and build queries and scripts. Use SSMS to query, design, and manage your databases and data warehouses, wherever they are - on your local computer, or in the cloud.!' – xdtTransform
You still need a Database of some sort, and something to Host it. You can compare SSMS to PhpMyAdmin, It still need a SQL base somewhere. It can be almost any Database/host – xdtTransform
@Will understood. I've edited the question a bit better. Let me know if I've missed anything. Will yet update the question with the 'Error Message' but I cannot do so now as there is some maintenance work going on on it. However, to answer your other question, I'm trying to connect to the local machine. I will create a database once I'm through. – Marzipan

1 Answers

0
votes

Managed to find out the issue. This is if you are a new user trying to use SQL Server Management Studio for the first time on your local machine.

To start SQL Server Management Studio

On current versions of Windows, on the Start page, type SSMS, and then click Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.

When using older versions of Windows, on the Start menu, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2017, and then click SQL Server Management Studio.

To determine the name of the instance of the Database Engine

  1. Log into Windows as a member of the Administrators group, and open Management Studio.

  2. In the Connect to Server dialog box, click Cancel.

  3. If Registered Servers is not displayed, on the View menu, click Registered Servers.

  4. With Database Engine selected on the Registered Servers toolbar, expand Database Engine, right-click Local Server Groups, point to Tasks, and then click Register Local Servers. All instances of the Database Engine installed on the computer are displayed. The default instance is unnamed and is shown as the computer name. A named instance displays as the computer name followed by a backward slash (\) and then the name of the instance. For SQL Server Express, the instance is named <computer_name>\sqlexpress unless the name was changed during setup.

To verify that the Database Engine is running

In Registered Servers, if the name of your instance of SQL Server has a green dot with a white arrow next to the name, the Database Engine is running and no further action is necessary.

If the name of your instance of SQL Server has a red dot with a white square next to the name, the Database Engine is stopped. Right-click the name of the Database Engine, click Service Control, and then click Start. After a confirmation dialog box, the Database Engine should start and the circle should turn green with a white arrow.

To connect to the Database Engine

At least one administrator account was selected when SQL Server was being installed. Perform the following step while logged into Windows as an administrator.

  1. In Management Studio, on the File menu, click Connect Object Explorer.

    • The Connect to Server dialog box opens. The Server type box displays the type of component that was last used.

  2. Select Database Engine.

  3. In the Server name box, type the name of the instance of the Database Engine. For the default instance of SQL Server, the server name is the computer name. For a named instance of SQL Server, the server name is the <computer_name>\<instance_name>, such as ACCTG_SRVR\SQLEXPRESS.

It should work.