Fix: Connections to SQL Server 2005 on Windows Vista suddenly stop working
- by NTulip
On my Vista machine at work, applications and the SQL Server Management Console work fine connecting to SQL Server 2005. Sometimes they are ok for weeks at a time, sometime for hours and then they stop connecting.
I've tried everything to get it to work including the installation of SPII and running the user provisioning tool without any luck. The only way to fix it was to restart.
The Error:
Connections are refused with the standard error message:
Cannot connect to
SERVER_NAME\INSTANCE_NAME
------------------------------ 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: SQL Network
Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating
Server/Instance Specified) (Microsoft
SQL Server, Error: -1)
For help, click:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=-1&LinkId=20476
The Fix:
Stop and restart the Sql Server Browser, Sql Server integration, SQL Server Active Directory Helper services.
Works like a charm.