hi guys,
i very happy that i found this forum which discuss ASP.net.
i am new to ASP.net 2.0 and some serious help. when i debug my application and try to insert data an error occur saying:

"An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)"

the code that i have used to submit data is as follow:

Imports System.Data.SqlClient
...
  Protected Sub btnSubmit_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSubmit.Click

      Dim objConn As SqlConnection
      Dim objCmd As SqlCommand

objconn = New SqlConnection("Server=localhost; Database=ecb;user
ID='';Password=''")

objCmd = New SqlCommand("INSERT INTO staff (firstname, surname) VALUES (@firstname, @surname,)", objConn)

objCmd.Parameters.Add("@FirstName", Data.SqlDbType.VarChar).Value = txtFirstName.Text
objCmd.Parameters.Add("@Surname", Data.SqlDbType.VarChar).Value = txtSurname.Text

objConn.Open()
objCmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
objConn.Close()

can anyone help? thank you in advanced

I think this is caused by the fact you're using localhost instead of (local).

This "problem" was first introduced with Windows Server Pack 2 (I believe, or SQL Service Pack 3)

Simply change this:

Server=localhost

to

Server=(local)

Can you please not cross-post your messages? Your message will be read anyway....

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
Everyone is unique, except for me.

to Imar:

Thank you very much for replying but the problem seems not to be solved and i still recieve the same message. could you please tell me if the code i have written is correct or not. probably the problem is from the code.
thanks.:)

Take a look here:

http://www.connectionstrings.com/

Depending on your database, click one of the nodes for an example of a good connection string. You may need something like:

"Data Source=ServerName;Initial Catalog=DatabaseName;User Id=UserName;Password=Password;"

HtH,

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
Everyone is unique, except for me.

thank you very much Imar for the help. However, i still have the same problem and the same messge error 40.

Did you install SQL Server Configuration Manager?

Run this problem and go to SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration.

You'll see 4 protocol names.
Make sure TCP/IP and Named Pipes are enabled.

Besides, try the following
localhost\sqlexpress as the Data source

Hope that helps...

thank you very much for your help g2000. it seems that you have solved most of the problem. i now do not receive the error message 40, however,whenever i like to excute the statement another error message comes up and say: Login failed for user ''. The user is not associated with a trusted SQL Server connection. i can't remember if i typed a username and a password first i install sql server. but i am pretty sure that i have used Windows authentication. i tried to remember and i typed some user name and password in the connection declaration (objconn = New SqlConnection("Server=localhost; Database=ecb;user
ID='sa';Password='dgfsdle34'")in hope to solve the problem but it sends back a message saying login failed for user 'sa'.
can you help?

Did you install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express? It's a free and handy tool for admin purpose.

Run it and look for Object Explorer(lower left hand corner),
Security > sa (that's the one you told me) > double click > User Mapping

Just click the database you wanna have connection with and choose the role membership for that.

Hope that helps...

hi g2000:

thank you for your help. Anyway it sounds not help, however my question here can i uninstall SQL server express edition while keeping hold of the tables that i have done (is quite important)? and then reinstall the application just to make sure that from the authentication level!!!

do you thing is a good solution? if yes would you please tell me how to keep the tables and uninstall the application?

Many thanks saif44

 Hi,

 Please try this. Select the View menu->Database Explorer->New Connection. On the wizard appeared specify your the database name and server on which you are going to use. Test connection. I fconnection succeed, it will appear on database Explorer on right. Right click on that select the property. Copy the connection string and use it in your code. If not works then set the permission on the server side.

 It can be done by right click database, select permissions,add select the user there are certain permissions can be seen check on each. Then try on the front end