SQLConnection connection error "Login failed for user server/guest"

Question

I keep receiving a connection error. I know that the information is right, as I tried them out with SSMS now several times in the last few minutes, so the problem is in the C# connection string. According to various Google searches, the syntax is right, just it does not work.

try
{
    // Get the connection information.
    GetSQLConnectInfo(ref sConnect);

    // Formulate the connection string.
    String strConnect = String.Format("Server=myserver;Database=mydb;User Id=myusername;Password=mypassword;Trusted_Connection=yes;connection timeout=30");

    // DATABASE: Create the connection.
    SqlConnection oConnection = new SqlConnection(strConnect);
    oConnection.Open();
    if (ConnectionState.Open != oConnection.State)
        return false;

    return true;
}

catch
{
}

Error comes back with: Login failed for user 'myserver\Guest'. Error Code: -2146232060 Error Number: 18456

It would seem that judging by the error message, the Open method does not recognize the user name, as Open tries to use a guest account, which obviusly will not work.

Am I missing something? I am using SQL Server authentication.

trusted_connection=yes doesn't match to using sql authentication. — Andrew
– Andrew, Commented Jan 3, 2013 at 19:07

D Stanley · Accepted Answer · 2024-02-20 14:16:56Z

8

Remove Trusted_Connection=yes. That will override your SQL Authentication (username/password) settings and try to log in as the user running the app.

From the documentation:

If the value of the Trusted_Connection key is "Yes", both the UID and PWD keys are ignored. Otherwise, the UID key has to be specified.

edited Feb 20, 2024 at 14:16

answered Jan 3, 2013 at 19:07

D Stanley

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4 Comments

Sarah Weinberger Over a year ago

That was so not obvious. I simply borrowed a one of the first connection strings that I saw. I had no idea that Trusted_Connection overrides the user name and password. Thank you.

JOpuckman Over a year ago

connectionstrings.com - Great resource if you find yourself needing to look up connection strings again.

interesting-name-here Over a year ago

I came here to realize that IIS was not allowing my application pool to go through to my DB using Trusted_Connection=yes. Had to put in the credentials manually in my Web.config

D Stanley Over a year ago

You need to get Kerberos working to enable trusted connections with more than one hop (client-->IIS-->DB), which is not simple. It's more secure, but harder to get right.

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