Troubleshoot database servers

The following are suggested solutions to problems you may encounter when working with database servers or geodatabases on database servers.

Error: Cannot connect to this Data Server...SQL Server does not exist or access denied.

Possible reasons you received the error message:

• The SQL Server Express instance is not running.
• Your user account was never added to the database server or your user account was removed from the database server.
• The network protocol is not set on the SQL Server Express instance; therefore, remote clients cannot communicate with the instance over a network.
• The SQL Server Browser is disabled, which prevents the client from receiving the names and ports used for each installed SQL Server instance.

Fix:

First, ensure that the database server to which you are trying to connect is started. If it is, confirm that you have permissions to access this database server remotely. If the database server is started and you have rights to connect to and query it, the network protocols are probably not enabled on the database server. Follow instructions in Microsoft SQL Server help to re-enable network protocols.

If the network protocols are enabled and you still cannot connect to the database server from the remote client, the SQL Server Browser service is probably stopped. Follow instructions in the Microsoft SQL Server help to start the SQL Server Browser service.

Error: Cannot Generate SSPI Context

Possible reason you received the error message:

This error is most commonly encountered if you are working on a laptop and are logging on with your domain credentials but are not actually connecting to your domain. This might happen if you are plugged in at a client site (as opposed to your own network) or using your laptop while not connected to a network at all, such as working in the field. It is related to TCP/IP network protocol and Microsoft Windows authentication. You could also consult the Microsoft website for a knowledge base article on how to troubleshoot the 'Cannot generate SSPI context' error message.

Fix/Workaround:

Make your connection to the database server on your local machine (Add Database Server) using the TCP/IP loopback address of 127.0.0.1 rather than the domain name; for example: 127.0.0.1\sqlexpress.

This will work as long as the database server (the SQL Server Express instance) is installed on your local machine.

Error: Bad login user

Possible reason you received the error message:

Most likely, you attempted to connect to a geodatabase on a database server using a database-authenticated user name and password.

Fix:

Connections to geodatabases on database servers only use operating system-authenticated logins. Therefore, choose the operating system authentication option on the Database Connection dialog box while logged in to the client machine with a valid Windows login.

Error: Login failed. The login is from an untrusted domain and cannot be used with Windows authentication.

Possible reasons you received the error message:

• You attempted to connect to a geodatabase on a remote database server while logged in with a local Windows account.
• You attempted to connect to a geodatabase on a database server with a domain account that has not been added to the database server.

Fix:

Log in to the client computer with a domain account that a server administrator has added to the database server.

Error: Connection was attempted with an older version of SQL Server client communications software that is not compatible with the SQL Server database server

Reason you received the error message:

The client computer from which you are connecting to the geodatabase does not have a supported version of the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver installed.

Fix:

Install a supported version of the SQL Server ODBC driver on your client computer and ensure that it is compatible with the SQL Server Express version you are using.