Why is SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Intellisense not working?

Question

I'm being driven to insanity trying to figure out why Intellisense just fails to work at all. The server I'm using is local and is 2008, the database is set to 2008 compatibility, Intellisense is on in every menu I can find, and yet no member list will pop up even with a CTRL-J.

Has anyone experienced something like this and found a way to fix it? I really can't bring myself to start work unless I have Intellisense working.

Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 - http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=26727 — Thomas Eyde, Oct 05 '11 at 12:48
This looks like it's just for SQL Server 2012, but many of the fixes are relevant to earlier versions as well, and worth a look if you're already patched and still have symptoms: http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/2591/troubleshooting-intellisense-in-sql-server-management-studio-2012/ — Aaron Bertrand, Aug 10 '12 at 13:53
Direct Link From MS Support Hot Fix http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/SQL%20Server%202008%20R2/nosp/SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_17/10.50.1777.0/free/431249_intl_i386_zip.exe — Mahmoude Elghandour, Sep 26 '13 at 12:56
SQL prompt can also be an alternative http://www.red-gate.com/products/sql-development/sql-prompt/ — Zameer Ansari, Jun 13 '14 at 10:25
I've been using SSMS without intellisense for several years at least, before finding out by accident that it supposed to have a working autocomplete feature. It never worked properly for me. Right now I'm on a brand new machine, with a fresh install of SQL Express 2014 and guess what, it still doesn't work. — gyozo kudor, Feb 09 '16 at 11:15

score 106 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 24 '22 at 03:58

106

I understand this post is old but if anybody is still searching and has not found a solution to the intellisense issue even after re-installing, applying the cumulative updates, or other methods, then I hope I may be of assistance.

I have Applied SQL 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 which you can download here

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26727

32 Bit: SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x86-ENU.exe

64 Bit: SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x64-ENU.exe

I have applied this SP1 and now my intellisense works again.

edited Dec 24 '22 at 03:58

starball

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answered Dec 13 '11 at 17:10

Bonez024

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King's response solve my issue ages ago but since most people seem to be coming to this question for other reasons, I'm making yours the accepted answer. – スーパーファミコン Jan 25 '12 at 14:31
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Thanks, man. Got this problem again, even to SMS without server, decided to install sp1 sms. – Johnny_D Mar 29 '12 at 12:08
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I tried King's repair option, but that did not work for me. Installing the 32 bit SP above worked for me. – Darren Griffith Jun 22 '12 at 20:34

jaraics · Answer 2 · 2015-02-02T15:41:23.207

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Visual Studio 2010 SP1 breaks SSMS 2008 R2's IntelliSense. There is a connect about that, and fortunately there is also a fix for that.

(In short, you will need to install Cumulative Update package 7 for SQL Server 2008 R2 by requesting SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x86or

SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x64

from this hotfix request page.)

EDIT: As @Paul Lemke noted, one might need to get the latest CU package. This blog contains the SQL server releases. (As of this writing, the latest is CU14)

edited Feb 02 '15 at 15:41

answered May 03 '11 at 09:58

jaraics

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Just a note that you might need to install a later cumulative update. I had to use the Cumulative update 9. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2567713 – Paul Lemke Sep 27 '11 at 14:37
I've tried downloading this one as well as subsequent packages but the self extracting zip fails asking for the last disk of the set?! Very frustrated! It's so annoying not having intellisense! – David Masters Oct 28 '11 at 14:47
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they should spread cu with windows update mechanism, cuz sp1 updates for vs2010 I got through this updates. Damn. – Johnny_D Mar 29 '12 at 12:09

Chris S · Answer 3 · 2011-07-18T11:14:19.117

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For SQL Server 2008 R2, installing Cumulative Update 7 will fix the problem. The file you need is

SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x86
or
SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x64

I also had to uninstall and re-install SQL Server 2008 first (which didn't fix it, but the CU did).

edited Jul 18 '11 at 11:14

answered Jul 18 '11 at 10:46

Chris S

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This is exactly the right answer, the hotfix list from Microsoft doesn't explain which download you need. I downloaded the file as advised here and it fixed the problem. You saved me lots of time, thank you! – AndyM Jul 22 '11 at 11:56
Direct Link From MS http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/SQL%20Server%202008%20R2/nosp/SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_17/10.50.1777.0/free/431249_intl_i386_zip.exe – Mahmoude Elghandour Sep 26 '13 at 12:57

score 14 · Answer 4 · edited Feb 23 '10 at 09:10

14

No need to reinstall.

Click on the setup file. Then go to maintenance and click on Repair. This should correct the intellisense problem.

edited Feb 23 '10 at 09:10

Jeff Atwood

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answered Apr 16 '09 at 14:32

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This did not work for me. Even uninstall/Reinstall didnt fix. The Cumulative Update mentioned by jaraics was the fix. (In my case problem was caused by VS2010 SP1) – RonnBlack Aug 06 '11 at 03:58

score 12 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 21 '11 at 18:36

12

I just the had same problem. I figured out that Intellisense stopped working after I took some databases offline and doing an Intellisense refresh (Ctrl-Shift-R). I brought the offline databases back online, did a refresh (Ctl-Shft-R) again and VOILA! Intellisense is working again.

What a crappy design. Maybe the population of Intellisense's lists chokes when a database exists but is offline. Thanks Microsoft.

answered Jan 21 '11 at 18:36

Herb

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Thanks for the Ctrl-Shift-R shortcut, never knew about refreshing Intellisense. – jamiebarrow Feb 07 '12 at 09:41

score 7 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 06 '11 at 23:37

I don't want to suggest a product out of turn, since getting Intellisense running is probably the best option, but I've struggled with the accursed no intellisense on Management Studio for months. Reinstallation, CU7 update, refreshing caches, sacrificing chickens to pagan gods; nothing has helped.

I was about to pay for RedGate's SqlPrompt (pretty damned pricey, $195 US), when I found SqlComplete.

http://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/sqlcomplete/?gclid=CN2xs_Lw7akCFcYZHAodpicXXw

There is a free version which does the basics, and the full version is only $50!

I'm a database architect, and while I can remember the commands, auto complete saves me heaps of time. If you're stuck and can't get Intellisense to work, try SqlComplete. It saved me hours of hassle.

After upgrading to MSSQLMS 2012 and fighting with non-functional autocomplete for over an hour trying everything suggested on every web site I could find, I tried this. Works better than the built-in feature, and free is free! — richardtallent, Jul 20 '16 at 22:39

Aaron Bertrand · Answer 7 · 2021-12-28T02:53:04.470

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I recently wrote a tip about troubleshooting IntelliSense. The title says SQL Server 2012 but most of the techniques can be applied to earlier versions of Management Studio as well.

Troubleshooting IntelliSense in SQL Server Management Studio

edited Dec 28 '21 at 02:53

answered Feb 11 '12 at 05:39

Aaron Bertrand

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Nicely done. It was your reminder about SQLCMD mode that did it for me. – wghornsby Mar 14 '14 at 13:28

スーパーファミコン · Answer 8 · 2009-08-14T04:08:55.370

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I ended up fixing it by reinstalling SQL Server 2008. This wasn't at all optimal, but if someone comes across a similar problem be sure to know this route will probably work.

edited Aug 14 '09 at 04:08

answered Feb 17 '09 at 18:35

スーパーファミコン

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Upvoted this just to get it out of the "Unanswered" category. Have a good one! – Brent Ozar Feb 25 '09 at 13:36
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Now you've got it working, aren't you amazed at how poor it is? – Paul Suart May 08 '09 at 15:42

score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 22 '12 at 23:13

I tried all the fixes - taking databases offline and then bringing them online, installed Cumulative update 10, repaired SQL Server Installation, refreshed local cache, made changes to the required settings on SQL Server Management Studio but everything was in vain. Finally installing the correct service pack (SP1) did the trick for me !

Follow the link below, and download SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x86-ENU.exe (or the x64 file for a x64 bit instance of SQL Server)

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26727

Finally i have Intellisense enabled !

score 1 · Answer 10 · edited Sep 26 '12 at 07:37

After finding this thread, I discovered that my Intellisense only broke after taking a database offline, and any offline database(s) on the instance would kill Intellisense.

In this thread, explaining that in order to restore Intellisense, you must

take the necessary databases offline, then
restart the server instance, and finally
refresh the Intellisense cache.

This procedure has worked for me and Intellisense is now working again.

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Aug 17 '11 at 16:04

I'm posting this here as I am sure more people will be comeing across this issue. I installed Security Update for microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 (KB2565057) and lost Intellisense in SQL Server Management studio 2008 (not R2).

An uninstall of the SP restored Intellisense .. Don't you just love Microsoft????

score 0 · Answer 12 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

When trying the accepted answer, I was getting an installation error: A failure was detected for a previous installation, patch, or repair blah, blah, blah...

To fix this, in my registry, I changed all DWORD values to 1 in the following Keys: (As always be careful modifying the registry and create a backup of the key before changing anything)

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\100\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS10_50.MSSQLSERVER\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS10_50.MSSQLSERVER\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.SQLEXPRESS\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\ConfigurationState

See my full post about Fixing Intellisense issue in SSMS.

score 0 · Answer 13 · edited Sep 28 '12 at 06:22

0

Here is the official word on this from MS.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2531482

Their solution is the same as above, install the SQL Server 2008 R2 updates with the version 10.50.1777.0.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2507770

edited Sep 28 '12 at 06:22

Andrew Barber

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score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Jun 25 '13 at 17:29

I did all of the above and ultimately gave up. Then one last resort was a third part SQL Intellisense add-on I found SQL Complete Express by devArt.

It's Intellisense plus more. Intellisense is back and all is well.

Supports SSMS 2005 - 2012 also includes Visual Studio Add-In.

SQL Complete

Mahmoude Elghandour · Answer 15 · 2014-02-12T09:54:31.507

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For SQL Server 2008 R2, installing Cumulative Update 7 will fix the problem. The file you need is

SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x86 or SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x64

I also had to uninstall and re-install SQL Server 2008 first (which didn't fix it, but the CU did).

this is Direct Link From MS that i was got it Hot Fix

edited Feb 12 '14 at 09:54

answered Sep 26 '13 at 12:59

Mahmoude Elghandour

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Don't repeat the solution other people (Chris S) have submitted. Find your own solutions and post them. – Brian Feb 11 '14 at 08:05
in my answer i was put Hot Fix the Direct Link From MS support which solve this problem you can check it if you face this problem it's not just repeat the solution :) – Mahmoude Elghandour Feb 11 '14 at 08:11
My appologies ... looked like an exact duplicate of one posted above. I can't change my vote unless you make an edit change to your post ... – Brian Feb 12 '14 at 09:13
Thank you for your understanding :) so i will editing my answer – Mahmoude Elghandour Feb 12 '14 at 09:53

score 0 · Answer 16 · answered Aug 16 '11 at 19:37

Same problem, but just re-installing SQL Management Studio 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 worked for me. I left my DB engine alone. The DB engine is not the problem, just SQL Management Studio getting hosed by Visual Studio SP1.

Installers here...

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=26727

I installed SQLManagementStudio_x86_ENU.exe (32 bit for my machine).

score 0 · Answer 17 · answered Apr 06 '09 at 17:12

I've had the same problem too. Searched everywhere online and can't find a solution. I did install Redgate's SQL Prompt which functions similarly to Intellisense, so maybe there was a conflict. I've since stopped the Prompt from running, but now no intellisense at all. Using SQL Server 2008 will SQLCMD mode off, no luck at all. This has happened before, a reinstall of SQL Server was the only thing that I could get to work.

Why is SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Intellisense not working?

17 Answers17

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