SQL Server 2000

[Geoff]

We have a VB.NET desktop app which is installed on 20 workstations and
connects to a SQL 2000 database on a std W2K3 domain. Recently we have
started randomly reciving the following errors:-

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When
connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that
under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections.

There are no remote connections and we are not running SQL 2005?

Connection string as follows:- user id=sa;password=somepassword;Initial
Catalog=catalogname;Data Source=server\namedinstance

Any help would be appreciated.

Geoff

 

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

Geoff,

Ever tried the trusted connection
http://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server#1

using the Server Administrator and his password is not really from today's
habits anymore.

Cor

 

[Geoff]

Cor,

Thanks for your input but the application was not written today. The
connection string being used is correct all be it there are better ways.

What we are really interested in is:-

Why this issue has only recently started to appear when no changes have been
made?

Why the error received talks about SQL 2005 when it is not being used?

Thanks

Geoff

 

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

Geoff,

I thought that it was maybe that your company bought new computers with a
new OS or that you has installed some new security updates, cq Service
packs.

But you mean that this happens on completely unchanged workstations which
are exactly the same as the first time the software was used?

Cor

 

[Geoff]

They are not new systems, all desktops run XP, windows updates or other
software updates are not managed by us.

I cant say that they are exactly the same as the first time the software was
used but essentlially they are unachged. The most recent change would have
been migration to Office 2007 but if this error was as a result of such a
company wide change I would expect to see this error more often.

Geoff

 

[Miha Markic]

If I had to guess I'd say network (or server) problems.
Perhaps you can try logging what's going on with sql server profiler or
something even more low level (i.e. network monitor).

 

[sloan]

That message is kinda like this:

"Your car is making a noise in the front. It ~~could~~ be the brakes".

They're giving you probable cause, but perhaps NOT the cause.

...........

FYI: There ARE remote connections if a client PC is talking to your
database.

Find a PC with Management Studio (or Query Analyser). Try to connect with
the SAME credentials as your connection string.

If you can't get "in" to the database with Management Studio, your
connection string won't work.

Its just a faster way to verify your connection string.

You can also try making a (temporary) System DSN under control panel as a
cheap test to try and connect.

Experiment with the "Client Connectivity" with named pipes or tcp/ip as
well.

start / settings / control panel / admin tools / data sources
system dsn (tab)
add new

That's the quickest way to setup a connection from client PC. Make sure you
delete it when you're done.

 

[William Vaughn \(MVP\)]

Geoff,
Let's walk through your connection string first. Using SA is a mistake.
It opens your database to any number of attack scenarios but I don't suspect
that's the problem. Next, you're referring to the server correctly but when
you refer to any named object on the network, the DNS server on the domain
must recognize it and provide the correct TCP/IP address for it. Just
recently I could not connect and discovered that the domain admin had not
configured a TCP/IP lease correctly and it was pointing off to a
non-existent server. I suspect this was caused by the backup DC coming back
online, but I'm not sure--and I could not fire the admin (because it was
me). To check, open a command prompt and ping the server by name. Next, if
the ports and protocols must also be configured correctly. While they might
have been at one time, this is also something that can be reconfigured as
firewalls are enabled.
See chapter 9 of my book for a lot more details or visit my blog and
search for "Connecting".

hth

--
__________________________________________________________________________
William R. Vaughn
President and Founder Beta V Corporation
Author, Mentor, Dad, Grandpa
Microsoft MVP
(425) 556-9205 (Pacific time)
Hitchhiker’s Guide to Visual Studio and SQL Server (7th Edition)
http://betav.com http://betav.com/blog/billva
____________________________________________________________________________________________

 

[Geoff]

I had already checked DNS and if we were having probles with firewall or
ports / protocols sure there would be a permanent error.

Still dont get why the error refers to SQL 2005 when its not being used.
Guess I will have to build a better error handler and wait for a re occurance.

Thanks for all help.

Geoff

 

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

Geoff,

This just came in my mind and is just a guess, are you sure that not anybody
has downloaded an SQL Server Express and simply has used that with the same
name? (Or something like that)

Cor