Can't connect to database from file

Question

I try to connect through: Microsoft SQL Server Database File (SqlClient), but I recieve error:

The attempt to attach to the database failed with the following information: 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: 52 - Unable to locate a Local Database Runtime installation. Verify that SQL Server Express is properly installed and that the Local Database Runtime feature is enabled.)

So, i click Connect to Database in Server Explorer

This window show up. In which i choose: Microsoft SQL Server Database File (SqlClient) and then browse my .mdf database file.

Clicking ok gives error mentioned before:

Server is running, I use windows authentication in database. Any sugestions?

Answer 1

You need the SQL Server Express LocalDB add-on, you can get it from here in both x86 & amd64 versions.

Answer 2

I had faced same issue when I deployed my software on test machine.
Solution:

1. Check the SQL server version using which the .mdf was build. If you don't know execute command SELECT @@VERSION.
2. Install correct version of SqlLocalDB.msi from following link.
   http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29062 http://www.microsoft.com/en-my/download/details.aspx?id=42299.