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I just installed SQL Server Express on my PC and for some reason it is not showing in my list of available servers to connect on Visual Studio 2010. I added some pictures to explain exactly my problem. I have no idea how to fix this because it is up and running, but not showing up...

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Stan
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12 Answers12

60

If the SQL Server Browser service isn't running, it won't find it (which you have disabled). You should still be able to connect to it even though it isn't "discoverable". Try connecting with (local)\SQLEXPRESS.

vcsjones
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  • Aha, it works. Thanks. I can't enable it because I think I installed only clean server. – Stan Jun 30 '11 at 17:18
  • Thanks! I know this is old but can I ask a question? With SQL Server, I can use `.`, `local` or `SQLSERVER`. Why doesn't SQL Server Express allow `.`, `local` or `SQLEXPRESS`? It's like `(local)\SQLEXPRESS` is a subfolder or something. I don't quite get why. – Jonathan Wood Jun 14 '20 at 04:59
13

Had the same problem, after searching google for 2 hours while finding nothing, and the server name still wasn't there after refreshing for 100 times!

(server not working image)

Then, I tried 1 more thing:

Ignoring the fact that my server doesn't apear on the list.

I just wrote the server nae "(local)\SQLEXPRESS" and went to the connection name which now was enabled! (I didn't realized that before!)

if you were fools like me, this might be the answer!

(server working image)

Gal Fridman
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12

I just had the same problem, I solved it by typing "." (without quotes) in the server name.

screenshot

Grimthorr
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Psy
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I just found out how to figure out the name of local database.

  1. Open View -> SQL Server Object Explorer.

  2. In explorer select SQL Server and you will see you local server.

  3. Select it and press F2 to select it's name.

  4. Now you can copy or change the name of your local database.

  5. Enter this name in add connection form.

Worked just fine for me. Name of my database happened to be "(localdb)\MSSQLLocalDB".

Neither of other solutions worked for me. And I think this one should help in most cases.

InfernumDeus
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  • This is the write answer! Thanks!!. I spend hour checking with my server and just found your steps are working for me. – amit bansode Sep 02 '20 at 03:59
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I had the exact same issue as Stan, and for me I had to connect using the IP of the SQL Server Database, followed by the name:

10.0.1.224\DatabaseName

  • your ip can be found by using cmd and pinging the device where SQL Server is installe. (in my case the server was hosted on a virtual machine)
Crezzer7
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    This is just as good as the marked answer, and helpful for those not running the server on the machine trying to connect to said server. – Feign Oct 30 '15 at 11:24
0

I had the same problem, I solved problem uninstalling VMware. And working right.

Matheus Miranda
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I faced the same problem, My Visual studio doesn't show any of the SQL server in the network including the local SQL server. I tried all the options mentioned above. Finally I tried by disabling Windows Firewall and Defender option in Windows 10. Then I can See all the SQL server including the Local SQL server. This worked for me.

varatharajan k
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Just Start the SQL Server Browser service it will fix the issue.

Mohammad Nabeel
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You can follow following steps:

1.Open "services.mvc"

You can see here

2.After that search for the "SQL Server Browser".

You can see here

  1. Rigth click on it the you may see the option of Properties click o it.After that you can see "StartUp Type" which is disable by default to connect select it to "Automatic" or "Manual".

You can see here

  1. After selecting to "Automatic" click on the start button to start the SQL Server Browser.

You can see here

5.After following above steps you can see that the "SQL Server Browser" is currently running.

You can see here

Mayur Jadhav
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Check the server name while connecting through Microsoft SQL Server.

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Jack
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if sqlserver is installed with new installation try the following:

(localdb)\mssqllocaldb
Salahuddin Ahmed
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hayatSikandar
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-2

Mine stopped working after the last Win10 update (12 Jan 2016). I updated everything trying to get it going. I do think though that the SQL update was a necessary part of the sollution below, because that option in the Server Explorer had completely gone.

But after the update, the solution ends up a simple one as said here. In your VStudio's 'Server Explorer' right click on 'Data Connections' and select "Create new sql database'.

Use the string mentioned above '(local)\SQLEXPRESS' and give the database a name.

From then on it is all as you are used to. I must admit the near two days spent trying to get it working again had me in a panic, there is hardly any software I write these days that doesn't have a database component to it, and I could not edit any of the applications I had already written. Though those already published continued to work normally.

I do suspect that some MS Update has knocked out a registry setting that VStudio uses and over the coming months when a developer goes in to edit a database he/she will get a nasty surprise.

Bob
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