Can't connect to database from file

Question

I try to connect through: Microsoft SQL Server Database File (SqlClient), but I recieve error:

The attempt to attach to the database failed with the following information: 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: 52 - Unable to locate a Local Database Runtime installation. Verify that SQL Server Express is properly installed and that the Local Database Runtime feature is enabled.)

So, i click Connect to Database in Server Explorer

This window show up. In which i choose: Microsoft SQL Server Database File (SqlClient) and then browse my .mdf database file.

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Clicking ok gives error mentioned before:

enter image description here

Server is running, I use windows authentication in database. Any sugestions?

From the error message, sounds like configuration issue. You can confirm that 1. You have SQL Server Express and not sql server 2. The mdf is a sql server express database and not from another version of sql server — Darren Kopp
– Darren Kopp, Commented Jun 1, 2013 at 22:12
Sql Server 2008 R2 is NOT express. Just attach the DB in sql server management studio and then do a normal connection to the database — Darren Kopp
– Darren Kopp, Commented Jun 1, 2013 at 22:35

Baby Groot · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-05 05:14:57Z

18

You need the SQL Server Express LocalDB add-on, you can get it from here in both x86 & amd64 versions.

edited Aug 5, 2013 at 5:14

Baby Groot

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answered Aug 5, 2013 at 4:53

lachs

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3 Comments

Pranesh Janarthanan Over a year ago

your solution solved my problem. I installed x64 for my 64 bit machine.

MIke Over a year ago

Check which version you need, Installed that version and still had errors. Ended up needing to install Sql Express 2014 from here to fix my issue - microsoft.com/en-my/download/details.aspx?id=42299

Chioke Aarhus Over a year ago

For anyone still looking into this issue, the links have updated for the LocalDB add-on: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/… Ensuring that the LocalDB package was installed on my VM solved the issue!

bummi · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-05 07:12:33Z

2

I had faced same issue when I deployed my software on test machine.
Solution:

Check the SQL server version using which the .mdf was build. If you don't know execute command SELECT @@VERSION.
Install correct version of SqlLocalDB.msi from following link.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29062 http://www.microsoft.com/en-my/download/details.aspx?id=42299.

edited May 5, 2015 at 7:12

bummi

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answered May 5, 2015 at 6:46

user3477428

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Comments

Ajay · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-05 05:24:16Z

0

Try to use SQL Server Authentication. Make sure that your SQL service is running or not. I think this will help you.

answered Aug 5, 2013 at 5:24

Ajay

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