I am using Sql Sever 2008 and tried to connect to Database Enginebut get following error Cannot connect to Server\SQLEXPRESS. =================================== 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: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified) (.Net SqlClient Data Provider) I enables TCP/IP at SqlServer Network Configuration in SqlServer Configuration Manager but still problem isnt solved I noticed that there is no sqlserver name at SqlServerServices and SqlServer browser is not running. Can any one tell me how to solve this problem?

I presume that Server\SQLEXPRESS is for SQL Server 2005 not SQL Server 2008 server, instead try to connect SQL Server 2008 instance name.Nanda - Misys Software Solutions,Bangalore

Can you please explain me in detail How to create SQLServer2008 instance? How to configure SqlServerBrowser?

Hi Prgmr75, Actually, we just need to start the SQL Server Browser service without any more actions(configurations) on SQL Server Browser services. In this case, the "SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified" should happen when the port is not opened in Firewall. In order to solve the issue, please follow the steps in this article: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sql_protocols/archive/2007/05/13/sql-network-interfaces-error-26-error-locating-server-instance-specified.aspx Thanks, Jin ChenJin Chen - MSFT

Generally, you should configure TCP/IP protocol to accept this connections. Even if you had it configured must check the firewall options, like Jin Chen says. To know how many instances and their names open the SQL Configuration Manager.From this MMC windows you can review all sql services instances. Regards.Vctor M. Snchez Garca (ES) (BI) Hope this help. Please vote if you find this posting was helpful. if this is an answer to your question, please mark it. http://bifase.blogspot.com | http://twitter.com/atharky

i tried but same error comes

i tried but there is no sqlserver instance name