SQL S2000 - Unable to Connect to SQL Server

  • Hi people.   I have a possible disaster on my hands, which I need urgent help on please !!!

    I have created and have been building T-SQL code in a single-user instance of SQL Server2000 for well over 12 months. ie the SQL Server Goup is (LOCAL) (Windows NT).   The O/S is Windows XP Pr, with all updates installed.

    My access to it has been with Windows authentication, and the faithful green light has been showing on the taskbar each time I login.

    Today, after a fortnight's break, I tried to get into it and the green light has turned to red.

    I tried to open it via Enterprise Manager and Query Analyser, but connection fails each time.

    Here is an example error message when I tried connection via Query Analyser: -

    (The Connect to SQL Server window is open and the "Start SQL SERVER if it is stopped" checkbox is ticked)

    Error Message:

    Unable to connect to server QBS-HDD2 (ie name of my PC):

    Server:Msg 17 Level 16, State 1

    [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][Shared Memory]SQL Server does not exist or access denied.

    When trying to get into the databases via Enterprise Manager, the normally green square shows red.

    The following error message appears: -

    "Heading is "SQL Server Enterprise Manager")

    "Aonnection could not be established to (LOCAL).

    REason: SQL Server does not exist or access denied.

    ConnectionOpen (Connect())..

    Please verify SQL Server is running and check your SQL Server registration properties (by right-clicking on the (LOCAL) node) and try again."

    This gets me nowhere so far.

    I am begging you guys for some help, as I cannot get into a database I have been working on for over 12 months.

     

    Any Ideas? Please.

    NB, 1.   the HDD was dedfragged just before I went on leave, and the HDD was removed and secured during my absence.    Admittedly, I had not tried to run SQLS since the defrag, but that should have helped rather than hindered the process.

    Regards,

     

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney 

     

  • First thing to check if there is anything mentioned in the event-log of windows regarding sql server. This can give a better indication of what the error is (perhaps database ... not found).

    Does the reattached drive has the same driveletter than before?

     

  • Could not find Windows event-log, but looked in Windows System Information/Software Environment/Services.  

    Found MSSQLSERVER and its State showed "Stopped";

    Start Mode=Auto; Service Type=Own Process;

    Path=C:\Progra~1\micros_4\mssql\binn\sqlservr.exe;

    Error Control=Normal;

    StartName=Local System; TagID=0

    I don't kow if this tells anything more than it has been "stopped".

    Point is, how to get it started again, so I can get in and get some work done.

    I really do appreciate your help, and am sitting in a big hole with it at present.

    Regards.

     

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney

     

  • Hi,

    Check the following KB :

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328306/en-us

    Minaz Amin

    "More Green More Oxygen !! Plant a tree today"

  • Thank you, Minaz.   I have printed out KB article, 328306 to look at.  It contains references to 20 other KB articles and I will look at all of these.    Quite a few seem to refer to multi-workstation systems, whereas this problem relates to just the one (LOCAL) installation.

    Meanwhile, if any unfortunate person had this problem and has solved it, I would be very pleased to hear from you. 

     

    Regards,

     

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney

  • First thing to do.

    Go to Services on the system. Find the MSSQLServer and SQLServerAgent service. Both need to be started, check that they are.

    If they are started, try restarting them.

    If that doesn't solve the issue....how was the HDD removed? Was the system shut down first? (I sure hope so). Was anything else done to the system? For example, SQL Server installs its system files to the C drive as default. Was the C drive re-imaged? Were the system database files moved to another location after or during the initial install?

    Check the Windows Event Viewer Logs for any error messages that might relate to this issue.

    -SQLBill

  • Thank you for responding, Bill.

    >Go to Services on the system. Find the MSSQLServer and SQLServerAgent service.

    I went to SQL Server Service Manager, selected "SQL Server" and "SQL Server Agent" in turn and tried without success to "Start/Continue" and also clicked "Refresh Services".   (I hope that is what you meant by the above.  ??

    Both failed to start.

    >how was the HDD removed? Was the system shut down first? (I sure hope so). Was anything else done to the system? For example, SQL Server installs its system files to the C drive as default. Was the C drive re-imaged? Were the system database files moved to another location after or during the initial install?

    No to all the above.   I returned from leave on Feb 6 and started up the subject PC at about 4.20pm.    From the Event Log, it seems to have been able to connect to SQL Server then, as the messages state it was "listening ...".      So beyond anything else, the HDD removal seems not to have been an issue.      I did not notice then whether the SQL S green arrow was showing on the Task Bar icon.

    There has been nothing untoward to my knowledge since then, but at 9.22am on Feb 7, 07, an error event occurred as follows, on boot-up: -

    "Windows cannot obtain the domain controller name for your computer network (The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted.) Group policy processing aborted."

    I got further details from the MS Help and Support Centre and tried the troubleshooting tips without success.

    It seems what worked on Tuesday afternoon till a normal PC shutdown, has failed to work ever since.

    At least, from your email, I have now discovered to event log.

    But till I get past the above message, looks like I am stuck fast!

    My PC has Windows XP Pro SP2.0 and the SQL Server app has SP 2.0 installed.

    Any ideas on getting past this point would be appreciated.

    Regards,

     

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney

     

  • Both failed to start.

    With what error? and what's in the event log (application event log) for that time?

    Let me guess, no database backup?

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Hi Gail.   See details in my reply to SQLBill.

    I do have a backup as at mid-December, which is close to the last time I visited the database.   (It is in development phase, with test data), but the SPROCs are the main purpose for getting back in.)

    I am currently upgrading from SP2 to SP4, to see if that will make a difference.

    Thanks for getting in touch.   It seems to relate to my User authentication, but has only happened since yesterday morning.   Hard to fathom at this stage.

    Yes, I have backed up before installing SP4.0

    Regards,

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney

     

  • I saw your reply, but the answer to my question isn't there. When you tried to start SQL from the services manager and it wouldn't start, what error or message did you get? The only error you mentioned was one you found in the event log upon system startup.

    As an idea, if your machine can't contact the domain, then very likely SQL can't start because it can't verify the start-up account. this is assuming that the start up account is a domain login. Check and see what the startup account of SQL is (control panel -> administrative tools-> Services)

    Well if you have a recent backup, then you can restore that on anther SQL Server, if you have one, at least until you get the problem resolved.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • There was no error message trying to Start from the Service Manager, just nothing happened, but trying to start SQL Server Agent, the error was

    "Error: The dependency service or group failed to start." Then the following message: -

    (Heading="SQL Server Service Manager")

    "An error 1068(The dependency service or group failed to start.) occurred while pereforming this service operation on the SQL Server Agent service"

    Cheers

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney

  • And was there anything in the application event log from sql server at the time you tried to start it?

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • I will look again at the Event Log, Gail.    Cannot get in at present, as I'm having some trouble getting SP4.0 to install, as it is taking a long time "Validating password. Please wait" ...

    Maybe that is part of the problem.      I will try to identify the time-space when I tried to get into SQL Server and will let you know.

    It seems to have been OK, showing the green arrow on the task bar until yesterday morning, when I noticed it was a red square, and tried to get into SQL Server.

    There were no environmental differences that I could point to.   Every other programme functions properly, and my local LAN connection (SQL Server is only "Local" to the one machine) functions normally.  

    Looks like I may have to re-install SQL Server from the Microsoft Office Developer Eition from which it was installed, and set up the sa password, domain, etc afresh.

    That is, unless you suggest another alternative.

    I will study the Event Log a bit more and see what comes out of it.

    Thanks for your time, Gail.   Much appreciated - and so quick with your replies!!

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney

     

     

  • What account is SQL running under? (check services, from administrative tools.)

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • That's a difficult one to answer, Gail. I have been using Windows Authentication, with my first name as User (with Administrator rights) and a blank password.

    With the aid of some phone support to diagnose the problem, this has been shifted around quite a lot, and I still have been unable to install SP 4.0 because it times out trying to validate my user account and password.

    Think I'll have to do a re-install.

    One matter that comes to mind, which happened on 12 December, 06.

    I was asked to do some "remote desktop" support work for a new colleague, on a SQL Server Express application, (which as you would know) is the 2005 replacement for MSDE.   Knowing zilch about it, I fossicked around and found I could download the 2005 version of Books-On-Line, which covers SSE matters.   I also bought 3 textbooks on it as well.

    To install that, I had to download and install .NET Framework 2.0. Both of these were installed, and I now have two BOLs on the subject computer, one for SQL Server 2000 and the other for SQL Server 2005.   NB SQL 2005 has NOT been installed to hat computer.   Only BOL 2005 and .NET Framework 2.0.

    I do not know whether this could have influenced the present situation at all, and although I had noticed the green arrow on the taskbar for SQL Server2000 plenty of times since then, I have not, until yesterday had to go into SQL-S Enterprise Manager to do some coding.

    Do you think this could have affected the setup of SQL Server2000?

    As I now have a new laptop with SSE and BOL2005, it would be possible, if necessary, to uninstall both BOL2005 and .NET Framework 2.0 from the subject computer.      Do you have an opinion on this, Gail?   Is it at all relevant to the case?

     

    Regards,

    Lester Vincent

    Sydney

     

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