SQL Server Service not available in service list after installation of SQL Server Management Studio

Question

I have Windows 7 Home edition SP1 installed on my system, and downloaded SQL Server 2008 R2 Management Studio and got it installed. But when I try to connect via .\SQLEXPRESS, SSMS shows error

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: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: -1) For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=-1&LinkId=20476.

I go back to check the local services there I don't find any SQL Server service running.

What I have to do for this? DO I need to install any SQL service on my system? or how I should proceed?

score 21 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 07 '14 at 10:37

21

downloaded Sql server management 2008 r2 and got it installed. Its getting installed but when I try to connect it via .\SQLEXPRESS it shows error. DO I need to install any SQL service on my system?

You installed management studio which is just a management interface to SQL Server. If you didn't (which is what it seems like) already have SQL Server installed, you'll need to install it in order to have it on your system and use it.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=1695

answered Aug 07 '14 at 10:37

1

Thanks for replying Gallardy, could you please explain me clearly, because I get confuse sometime. I want to install a SQL Server Management studio 2008 for my .Net project from where I can use connectivity for data storage. But before this do I need to install any SQL Server Service (which is not present in my system) to connect to the database? please could you make me understand where I am goin wrong? – Abb Aug 07 '14 at 14:34
Yes, you need to install SQL Server Database Engine if you want to use databases. SQL Server Management Studio is just a management tool, not the database engine. – Aug 07 '14 at 14:53
ok. from where I can download the SQL Server Database Engine and the related Managemant studio? Can you provide the perfect links for these as well as simple steps to be followed. Like what I should install at first and the next thing. Thanks in advance. – Abb Aug 07 '14 at 15:43
The link to the database engine is in my answer, you already said you installed SSMS. – Aug 07 '14 at 22:06
Thanks for the reply. I will install the SQL Server and check for the connection and then revert you back. – Abb Aug 08 '14 at 05:53
Thanks Sean for replying and updating me by your patience and by managing time. I installed it and its working fine. Thanks once again. – Abb Aug 13 '14 at 06:14

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 10 '22 at 15:56

Updated link to install Sql server Database in local machine. Once it is installed you can get access to local database and you can see SQL Server windows services instance up and running in your services list window.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server/sql-server-downloads

Vishal R · Answer 3 · 2020-05-20T23:51:15.503

1

You need to start the SQL Server manually. Press

windows + R

type

sqlservermanager12.msc

right click ->Start

Service configuration does not display SQL Server?

edited May 20 '20 at 23:51

answered Jan 22 '16 at 06:49

Vishal R

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What if I didn't find SQL Server? – moussesj94 May 20 '20 at 23:37
thanks, must have been semi-sleep when I answered. updated. – Vishal R May 20 '20 at 23:47
Windows cannot find 'sqlservermanager12.msc' – Denis G. Labrecque Apr 19 '22 at 15:17
which sqlserver version are you using? – Vishal R Apr 19 '22 at 16:48
Hi, You need to reflect the digits from the SQL Server version. For instance I just installed 2022 and version major is 16. So it is sqlservermanager16.msc. The thing is the service is not there. And should I rerun the installer, it finds an instance installed. – UchiTesting Aug 18 '23 at 19:06
I just reran the installer and noticed I didn't check the DB Engine service checkbox. My bad. – UchiTesting Aug 18 '23 at 19:21

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 18 '23 at 19:40

For me it was just human mistake. In the Feature selection screen make sure you check the Database Engine Services.

I apparently installed without having it checked. Then adding features I did it and it worked for me. Now it is grayed out and cannot apparently be uninstalled from there.