I have a client who just installed SQLEXPRESS and I was having him test by
using sqlcmd at a c:\> prompt.
he got an error "No connection could be made because the target machine
actively refused it"
The only way I could get him connected was to supply the Server name:
sqlcmd -S <MachineName>\SQLEXPRESS

I am able to connect to a Developer Edition default instance on my machine
with just sqlcmd and no -S switch.

Any ideas about what could be the difference? Starting the SQL Browser
service for him did not .

Thanks in advance.
--
Todd C

Todd,

SQL Server Express by default does not install a default instance, but a
named instance. That is why the <MachineName>\SQLEXPRESS. It needs to know
the instance name.

One shortcut is to use:

SQLCMD -S .\SQLEXPRESS

The . stands for the local machine name.

RLF


"Todd C" <ToddC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E91C3D02-400F-46B7-B638-9E90038987EE@microsoft.com...
>I have a client who just installed SQLEXPRESS and I was having him test by
> using sqlcmd at a c:\> prompt.
> he got an error "No connection could be made because the target machine
> actively refused it"
> The only way I could get him connected was to supply the Server name:
> sqlcmd -S <MachineName>\SQLEXPRESS
>
> I am able to connect to a Developer Edition default instance on my machine
> with just sqlcmd and no -S switch.
>
> Any ideas about what could be the difference? Starting the SQL Browser
> service for him did not .
>
> Thanks in advance.
> --
> Todd C
>

I think I found it: SQL Express gets installed as a named instance, even if
it is the first SQL to be installed, so to connect to it via sqlcmd you need
the FULL instance name.

From BOL: creating an environment variable named SQLCMDSERVER will him.

--
Todd C

[If this response was ful, please indicate by clicking the appropriate
answer at the bottom]


"Todd C" wrote:

> I have a client who just installed SQLEXPRESS and I was having him test by
> using sqlcmd at a c:\> prompt.
> he got an error "No connection could be made because the target machine
> actively refused it"
> The only way I could get him connected was to supply the Server name:
> sqlcmd -S <MachineName>\SQLEXPRESS
>
> I am able to connect to a Developer Edition default instance on my machine
> with just sqlcmd and no -S switch.
>
> Any ideas about what could be the difference? Starting the SQL Browser
> service for him did not .
>
> Thanks in advance.
> --
> Todd C
>