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How does SSMS connect to local SQL Server?
Use SSMS to Connect to the Local Default Instance
- For Server Type it is Database Engine.
- For the Server Name, we can simply use a dot (.) which will connect to the local default instance of SQL Server.
- For the Authentication you can select Windows or SQL Server.
- Then click Connect.
Where is my local DB?
Once installed, LocalDB is an instance of SQL Server Express that can create and open SQL Server databases. The system database files for the database are stored in the local AppData path, which is normally hidden.
What’s the difference between localhost and sqlexpress?
Hypothesis one: You have installed a named instance called SQLExpress. This instance was configured to listen on the default SQL Server port 1433. Therefore wether you connect to ‘localhost’ or to ‘localhost\\SQLExpress’, you are connecting to the same instance.
Is it possible to connect to SQL Server via localhost?
Click OK and then go back to “SQL Server Services” and restart SQL Server instance. Now you can connect via localhost, at least I could. Note that this error can of course occur when connecting from other applications as well. Example for a normal C# web application Web.config connection string:
How to change a named instance to localhost?
For your named instance, you need to set it to the static default SQL Server port, i.e. 1433. Obviously TCP/IP will need to be enabled for the instance: Once you’ve done this, should be able to connect to localhost without supplying a name as it will just try and connect to 1433. This is what worked for me.
What’s the difference between SQL Express and sqlexpress?
Hypothesis two: You have installed two different SQL Server instances, one named SQLExpress and one default, unnamed. Both connections succeed, but you are not connecting to the same instance. The default install of SQL Express installs a named instance, SQLExpress.