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I don't have access to a SQL Server Express installation at the moment, but I know that the installer usually installs SQL Server Express with an instance name. What is the default instance name for SQL Server Express installations? I.e., how do you access such an installation by default? Is it localhost\SQLEXPRESS$ ? Is the same name used for both 2005 and 2008 servers?
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Go to Start > Programs > Microsoft SQL Server > Configuration Tools. Locate the running MS SQL Server instance name (circled below in red).
An instance of SQL Server Express LocalDB is an instance created by a user for their use. Any user on the computer can create a database using an instance of LocalDB, store files under their user profile, and run the process under their credentials. By default, access to the instance of LocalDB is limited to its owner.
Identify the SQL Server instance name Open a command prompt window. Scroll down to entries beginning with SQL. Locate an entry for each installed named SQL Server (instancename) . The value in parenthesis is the instance name.
A named instance is identified by the network name of the computer plus the instance name that you specify during installation. The client must specify both the server name and the instance name when connecting. By default, SQL Server installs in the default instance unless you specify an instance name.
When installing SQL Express, you'll usually get a named instance called SQLExpress, which as others have said you can connect to with localhost\SQLExpress.
If you're looking to get a 'default' instance, which doesn't have a name, you can do that as well. If you put MSSQLServer as the name when installing, it will create a default instance which you can connect to by just specifying 'localhost'.
See here for details... MSDN Instance Configuration
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Should be .\SQLExpress or localhost\SQLExpress no $ sign at the end
See also here http://www.connectionstrings.com/sql-server-2008
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