Two Instances (SQLEXPRESS and MSSQLSERVER)
Hi there,
I installed SQL Server Express few days ago but today I coudn't start the Management Studio. After reinstall the management studio, the problem stay. Then I uninstall SQL Server, but I still had acess to the configuration manager and I see that the instance SQLEXPRESS still runing, even with all unistalled (SQL Server, Management Studio, Framework 2.0, Visual Studio). Then I install again Sql Server, and it detected that the default Instance are already installaled. I continued the installation without type any name for the "new" instance, but then I finished with to Instances: MSSQLSERVER and SQLEXPRESS. The strange (for me) is that in management studio I could now acess the Instance SQLEXPRESS with the name: .\SQLEXPRESS, but when I want connect to MSSQLSERVER with the name: .\MSSQLSERVEr I coudn't. Then I realised that if I connect to the name: . or (local) that should be the default Instance, it connect's me to MSSQLSERVER instance.
My doubt's is:
- It's normal have this two Instances?
- Why this name: MSSQLSERVER? It's any kind of second default name?
- Why coudn't I connect to MSSQLSERVER with the name .\MSSQLSERVER?
- Can I delete one of the Instances and how?
- How I define the default instance for Sql Server?
- When I uninstall SQL Server, it's not expectable that configuration manager and any Instance is too removed from the system?
Thanks in advance, and sorry my Inglish :S
It seems you are confused between the name of the service, and the name on the instance.
Look in add/remove programs; what do you see relating to SQL?
It's perfectly normal to have multiple instance if you have 2 versions of sql server installed (or even if you have only one version but installed multiple times).
MSSQLSERVER is the service name for the default instance of SQL Server 2000. I think for named instances name is something like MSSQLSERVER$<instance name>. This is the reason you could not connect to .\MSSQLSERVER. The default instance has no name so you need only . or (local).
You can delete an instance by uninstalling the SQL Server installation that created it.
Normally the setup will ask you if you want to install a default instance or a named one. If you already have a default instance installed you cannot install a new one so you only have the option for a named one.
Mangement tools like Management Studio are not tied to instances. If you uninstall an instance the management tools stay.
Hi Mulhall,
Thanks by your answer.
In Add/Remove program's I see:
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Books Online CTP Native Client
- Microsoft SQL Server Support files
- Microsoft SQL Server VSS Writer
But whene I go to SQL Server Configuration Manager, in SQL Server 2005 Services I see:
- SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)
- SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)
- SQL Server Browser
In the past, before I restarted everything, I don't had this "SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)", it just appear befor I uninstall SQL Server and install it again.
This services that appear in Configuration Manager aren't the services that "serve" the instances, since I have two processes "sqlservr.exe" runing, meaning I have two instances?
Another thingh that make me think like this, is that whene I double click both of the services, I see in the Binary Path:
- ...\sqlservr.exe" -sSQLEXPRESS
- ...\sqlservr.exe" -sMSSQLSERVER
I hope I'm making confusion, It's more easy to me if so ;)
Thanks
Hi Mike Danes,
Thanks for the answer.
You are right, whene I installed the second time, it said's me that another instance are installed and ask me if I wont install the default instance, but I thought that "this" default instance was SQLEXPRESS. Now it make's more sense.
But still strange that I uninstalled the SQL Server of the first instance, reinstall again SQL Server, but now I have two instances and just one instalation of SQL Server ... How can I uninstall the first one, and stay just with the default? (I think it's a bug, because I had some problems connecting to Database before uninstall, and when I uninstalled the SQL Server, I still had acess to configuration manager and not management studio like you said, and see the service running)
By the way, where I see the name of the instance ( the ...$<instance name>) and how can I rename it?
So the name that I see in configuration manager isn't the name of the instance but is the name of the service right?
If I have one instance by every instalation of SQL Server, wo manage the Instances names? Every SQL Server instalation share some kind of internal Database?
Thanks in advance and sorry the questions but I use to advantage your answer :)
No, I just see one instance :S But there is no prob, I need to reinstall Windows ... :)
Thanks all.
I also see services for sqlexpress and mssqlserver. The mssqlserver service runs but when I try to start the sqlexpress service I get and error that says it is corrupt. I originally installed it with VS2005 Standard (it failed on the first install) so I uninstalled the components via add/remove programs and also ran msiinv which did not find any sql installations. But when I rebooted after removing things the sqlexpress service tried to start at windows logon. (shouldn't this have been deleted?) I then just disabled the service and reinstalled from outside of the VS2005 installer (just executed the installation file manually, this time I was asked a number of questions. The instance name installed was mssqlserver. This service started ok, but the older sqlexpress service still did not work. Any ideas on how to get rid of it? When I opened server configuration manager and selected sql server 2005 service I get an error message provider failure.
I am new to using SQL server and am wondering how do I know if I have a successfull install?
How do I remove the service sqlexpress that is corrupt and does not show up with add/remove programs or with msiinv?
Thanks
