Difference

Are SQL Server Express & SQL Server 2005 one & the same thing? Or is the former a part of the latter? Actually when I was downloading Visual Web Developer 2005 Express, I was given the option to download Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition as well; so I am getting confused between SQL Server Express & SQL Server 2005.

I installed SQL Server 2005 in my WinXP Pro m/c. from the Microsoft website (after re-installing WinXP Pro since XP became corrupt). Earlier I used to login to Management Studio Express using my m/c. name followed by a \ followed by SQLEXPRESS as the server name. So if my m/c. name is MyPC, then I used to login to Management Studio Express using MyPC\SQLEXPRESS as the server name but now when I try to login to Management Studio Express using the above server name i.e. MyPC\SQLEXPRESS, then an error gets thrown saying

Cannot connect to MyPC\SQLEXPRESS.

Now how do I find out what's the server name so that I can login to create & manage databases in Management Studio Express?

Please note that after re-installing WinXP Pro, my m/c. name has remained the same; I didn't change it.

Thanks,

Arpan

>> Are SQL Server Express & SQL Server 2005 one & the same thing?

No. Express edition refers to the free version released by Microsoft with some limitations. Where the other editions have many other features.

The major limitations of express edition are :

* Lack of enterprise features support
* Limited to one CPU
* One GB memory limit for the buffer pool
* Databases have a 4 GB maximum size

>> Cannot connect to MyPC\SQLEXPRESS.

Please use the Browse option instead of typing the server name in Management studio to find the server.

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Thanks, Bool, for highlighting the differences.

As far as not being able to connect to SQL Server 2005 is concerned, when I click the option <Browse for more...>, under the Local Servers tab, no servers get listed & under the Network Servers tab, 3 servers do get listed under Database Engine but none of them belong to me! Why isn't my local server not getting listed under the Local Servers tab?

What do I do next? Please help me resolve this issue.

I guess I should have mentioned this in the first thread of this post itself. It would have saved me some time. Anyway, better late than never!

Thanks once again,

Regards,

Arpan

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These articles will point you in the right direction to connect.

Configuration -Configure SQL Server 2005 to allow remote connections
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;914277
http://blogs.msdn.com/sqlexpress/archive/2005/05/05/415084.aspx

Configuration -Connect to SQL Express from "downlevel clients"
http://blogs.msdn.com/sqlexpress/archive/2004/07/23/192044.aspx

Configuration -Connect to SQL Express and ‘Stay Connected’
http://betav.com/blog/billva/2006/06/getting_and_staying_connected.html

This article will help point out the version differences:

SQL Server 2005 Features, Version Comparison
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/features/compare-features.mspx

And this may be helpful (if you don't have it...)

SQL Server 2005 Express Books Online Express Edition
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms165706.aspx

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>> under the Local Servers tab, no servers get listed

>> What do I do next? Please help me resolve this issue.

Then I think it means that the local server does not exist or has been stopped. Try to restart the server (refer some books on how to do it), or worst case, just try to reinstall the express edition database engine again.