trying to run sqlcmd fails, unable to establish connection?

Question

When I try to run sqlcmd (from the cmd prompt) I get the following error:

HResult 0x2, Level 16, State 1 Named Pipes Provider: Could not open a connection to SQL Server [2]. Sqlcmd: Error: Microsoft SQL Server Native Client 10.0 : A network-related or in stance-specific error has occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server . Server is not found or not accessible. Check if instance name is correct and i f SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. For more information see SQL Server Books Online.. Sqlcmd: Error: Microsoft SQL Server Native Client 10.0 : Login timeout expired.

Not sure why this happens? I can connect to the sql server from within my asp.net website (which runs locally, like the database) but sqlcmd can't connect.

Can you show us the parameters for SQLCMD that you're using?? — marc_s, Oct 25 '10 at 09:07
Can you show us the parameters for SQLCMD that you're using?? — marc_s, Oct 25 '10 at 09:08
If you can connect from within your ASP.NET application, what connection string are you using? This may help give us clues to what you need to pass through to sqlcmd. — Chris J, Oct 25 '10 at 12:15

score 14 · Answer 1 · edited Mar 04 '15 at 00:57

14

If you are not using the default instance, the try then following command:

sqlcmd -S MACHINENAME\INSTANCE_NAME

Notice the capital S. Also notice that I did not give it a user of password, given that default sqlcmd authentication is the windows auth, so I can log in as the current user.
For more information from Microsoft check this out > http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms165702.aspx

edited Mar 04 '15 at 00:57

Community

1
1

answered Mar 07 '14 at 01:53

dev4life

10,785
6
60
73

4

thank you for pointing out the case-sensitivity of the argument flag – Dave Cousineau Sep 04 '15 at 21:10
2

Not sure if this will help anyone, but I tried the machine name and it did not work for me - I had to use "localhost". I have TCP/IP enabled (for local development), and had to use "localhost" instead of the actual name (seems that the TCP/IP listener was listening only on some IPv6 addresses [which my machine name resolves to], and the loopback address [127.0.0.1] as well, which was the only thing that worked [IPv6 bug?]). – James Wilkins Mar 09 '17 at 01:45

anivas · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-25T12:06:38.310

11

Try sqlcmd -S <InstanceName>

Your command will work only if you have installed the server as default instance.
Run sp_helpserver to know the instance name.

edited Oct 25 '10 at 12:06

answered Oct 25 '10 at 11:56

anivas

6,437
6
37
45

trying to run sqlcmd fails, unable to establish connection?

2 Answers2

Linked