Connect to SQL Server Developer edition

Question

I recently installed Microsoft SQL Server Express for a project of mine, and I was able to connect to the instance with SQL Server Management Studio and everything worked fine. Then I realized that I needed the Developer edition for importing data the way I wanted, so I attempted to remove the Express edition and I installed Developer edition from Microsoft's website.

I tried to connect to the developer instance in SSMS first with [computer name]\MSSQLSERVER ([computer name]\SQLEXPRESS worked before) but that didn't work. I then tried many other things, including updating and reinstalling SSMS and the developer instance, and repairing the instance with the installation center.

When I look under the local server groups on SSMS I see the default one that's just my computer's name, and I see [computer name]\sqlexpress, but I don't see the one with the instance name of the developer edition (which should be [computer name]\mssqlserver, right?). Connecting the the express edition doesn't work anymore either, I think as a result of my attempts to uninstall it. Connecting to the default works, but it isn't Developer (which I know from trying to import data).

When I look at the Server Configuration Manager, though, it shows "SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)" as a service which is running, but SSMS refuses to recognize it.

I'm a total beginner at this, so there's a good chance I'm missing something very obvious. I'm also unsure about the "connect now" button on the window that says "installation has completed successfully" which to takes you to the command line window, and whether that has anything to do with this. I don't really remember doing anything with it back when I installed express.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

The instance that's shown as SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER) in SQL Server Configuration Manager is the default instance to which you connect without specifying an instance name, just using one of these:

.
(local)
your-machine-name

as the server/instance name.