mdf file and connection error

Question

i m running asp.net example code in my vs 2005. I am using following datasource. I have no sql express edition, but i have developer edition of sql server 2005.

<asp:SqlDataSource
    id="srcFiles"
    ConnectionString="Server=.\SQLExpress;Integrated Security=True;
        AttachDbFileName=|DataDirectory|FilesDB.mdf;User Instance=True"
    SelectCommand="SELECT Id,FileName FROM Files"
    InsertCommand="INSERT Files (FileName,FileBytes) VALUES (@FileName,@FileBytes)"
    Runat="server">
    <InsertParameters>
        <asp:ControlParameter Name="FileName" ControlID="upFile" PropertyName="FileName" />
        <asp:ControlParameter Name="FileBytes" ControlID="upFile" PropertyName="FileBytes" />
    </InsertParameters>
</asp:SqlDataSource>

i have .mdf file and i got following error message.

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)

Please help me.

Answer 1

You need to change your connection string. Try changing your connection string to this (put in your database name) but if it doesn't work we'll need some more information from you:

ConnectionString="Server=.;Integrated Security=True;Initial Catalog=YOURDATABASENAMEHERE"

Do you know if your SQL Server 2005 install is a default instance or a named instance? If you don't know it's probably default but we can find out for sure if needed.

Hopefully you know the name of your database, otherwise we are in trouble. :)

Lastly, are you running as a local Windows Administrator account? If so, you should be able to get into SQL Server easily. If not, we might need to tweak security a bit.