invalid server name error

invalid server name error

am 23.01.2008 20:56:28 von david williams

Hello all,
I am looking for help with MS SQL Server 2005.
Basically, there is an app I have installed taht runs
on the client and talks the MS SQL server. The problem is that
the client is giving me the message "invalid server name".
I can map a drive from the client to the server using the exact same
server name. I'm pretty sure the SQL instance is running because
the app on the server says it is running. I have yet to actually
look at the services tab to see if it is running.

Is it possible to download an MS SQL client just to test the SQL
connection? I don't have the MS SQL server CDs.

I cannot telnet to port 1421 on the server but I don't believe I have any
FW blocks going.

The server is W2k
the client is WIndows XP home


Thanks,
David






--
David Williams
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
Email: dw149@prism.gatech.edu

Re: invalid server name error

am 24.01.2008 00:23:29 von Erland Sommarskog

David Williams (dw149@acmex.gatech.edu) writes:
> I am looking for help with MS SQL Server 2005.
> Basically, there is an app I have installed taht runs
> on the client and talks the MS SQL server. The problem is that
> the client is giving me the message "invalid server name".

How long does it take for the application to say this? Normally,
this takes about 15 seconds. If you get this snap, the application
is picky about something. (The error message is not familiar, which
makes me suspicious.)

> I can map a drive from the client to the server using the exact same
> server name. I'm pretty sure the SQL instance is running because
> the app on the server says it is running. I have yet to actually
> look at the services tab to see if it is running.

I think that is a good idea.

> Is it possible to download an MS SQL client just to test the SQL
> connection? I don't have the MS SQL server CDs.

You can download SQL Server Express (command-line tools included) or
SQL Server Management Studio Express from here:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/express/aa718378.aspx

> I cannot telnet to port 1421 on the server but I don't believe I have any
> FW blocks going.

Normally, SQL server runs on port is 1433.

One thing to check is that you have the right instance name. That is,
SQL Server can be installed as a default instance or as a named
instance. If it's installed as a default instance, you refer to it
by the machine name, but if it's a named instance, you need the instance
name do: SERVER\INSTANCE.


--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downlo ads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/books .mspx

Re: invalid server name error

am 24.01.2008 15:26:35 von david williams

Thanks a lot Erland.

This is very helpful.

It takes about 10 seconds for the app to reject the login.

Sorry about the port 1421 miscommunication.
I am a MySQL person and was told by the vendor that
SQL runs on port 1421.

I'm going to try and download the client.
I appreciate that link a lot.

What is funny is out of 10 computers, 2 of them started
working magically and I have not changed anything.
This is some Windows quirkiness that is confusing me
making me think this is more of a networking thing than
SQL.


I'll followup with whatever I find.




--
David Williams
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
Email: dw149@prism.gatech.edu

Re: invalid server name error

am 24.01.2008 23:26:35 von Erland Sommarskog

David Williams (dw149@acmex.gatech.edu) writes:
> What is funny is out of 10 computers, 2 of them started
> working magically and I have not changed anything.
> This is some Windows quirkiness that is confusing me
> making me think this is more of a networking thing than
> SQL.

Often when you cannot access SQL Server it's a networking issue of
some sort. Particularly, when the problem is not all machines.


--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel@sommarskog.se

Books Online for SQL Server 2005 at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sql/2005/downlo ads/books.mspx
Books Online for SQL Server 2000 at
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinfo/previousversions/books .mspx

Re: invalid server name error

am 27.01.2008 03:04:07 von david williams

Hello all,
it turned out to be a networking issue.
I tried mapping the drive to the server again before connecting and it worked this time.

I guess when I mapped the first time, it wasn't really mapped or just a quirk.
Either way, the server was not mapped and thus the invalid server name.

Thanks!
David

--
David Williams
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
Email: dw149@prism.gatech.edu