Error when connecting to SQLExpress

I have an issue that is totally baffling me. When I use a program I've
written to connect to SQLExpress (and a given database), all works well on
my development system and on a laptop that I tested with. However, I have
two users that I sent the SAME database files and program files to and at
the moment the program tries to connect to the server/database, they get the
generic Windows error message "[Your Program] has encountered an error and
needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
This differs from handled exceptions and unhandled exceptions within the
program. I have had the users uninstall their older SQLExpress and update to
the recent service pack, checked various configuration settings, including
owner of the database, including allowed remote connections, both TCP/IP and
NamedPipe. Everything "looks" correct, but no connection and the
above-mentioned Windows error message. I am just stumped, so I'd love to
hear any ideas or advice from anyone who has seen this before.
Let's hear a bit more about your configuration. I assume you're expecting an
existing SQL Express instance on the client system. Is it running? How are
the clients authenticated? I assume you have a Try/Catch around the Open.
Does the exception occur there? Is there a number with the error message?
Did you check the client systems event log? Let's see the ConnectionString.
____________________________________
William (Bill) Vaughn
Author, Mentor, Consultant
Microsoft MVP
INETA Speaker
www.betav.com/blog/billva
www.betav.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
__________________________________
Visit www.hitchhikerguides.net to get more information on my latest book:
Hitchhiker's Guide to Visual Studio and SQL Server (7th Edition)
and Hitchhiker's Guide to SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (EBook)
------
"Earl" <brikshoe@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:uHqd6%230LHHA.2232@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>I have an issue that is totally baffling me. When I use a program I've
>written to connect to SQLExpress (and a given database), all works well on
>my development system and on a laptop that I tested with. However, I have
>two users that I sent the SAME database files and program files to and at
>the moment the program tries to connect to the server/database, they get
>the generic Windows error message "[Your Program] has encountered an error
>and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
> This differs from handled exceptions and unhandled exceptions within the
> program. I have had the users uninstall their older SQLExpress and update
> to the recent service pack, checked various configuration settings,
> including owner of the database, including allowed remote connections,
> both TCP/IP and NamedPipe. Everything "looks" correct, but no connection
> and the above-mentioned Windows error message. I am just stumped, so I'd
> love to hear any ideas or advice from anyone who has seen this before.
>
|||1. Yes, an existing SQL Express instance (I even tested it myself with
GotoMeeting, so I can see what they have)
2. It is running
3. Windows Authentication
4. Errors -- that is where the weirdness appears -- my error messages in the
Try/Catch do not show, I get the fancy generic Windows program error message
("We are sorry for the inconvenience..." the one where they want you to send
information to Microsoft).
5. I did not check the event log that is something I can review.
6. Connection string:
m_strConnection = "data source=" + m_strSQLServerName + ";" +
"initial catalog="+m_strDatabaseName+";integrated
security=SSPI;";
"William (Bill) Vaughn" <billvaRemoveThis@.nwlink.com> wrote in message
news:eZi8YW2LHHA.3668@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Let's hear a bit more about your configuration. I assume you're expecting
> an existing SQL Express instance on the client system. Is it running? How
> are the clients authenticated? I assume you have a Try/Catch around the
> Open. Does the exception occur there? Is there a number with the error
> message? Did you check the client systems event log? Let's see the
> ConnectionString.
> --
> ____________________________________
> William (Bill) Vaughn
> Author, Mentor, Consultant
> Microsoft MVP
> INETA Speaker
> www.betav.com/blog/billva
> www.betav.com
> Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> __________________________________
> Visit www.hitchhikerguides.net to get more information on my latest book:
> Hitchhiker's Guide to Visual Studio and SQL Server (7th Edition)
> and Hitchhiker's Guide to SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (EBook)
> ------
> "Earl" <brikshoe@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
> news:uHqd6%230LHHA.2232@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
|||Assuming you're trapping the "Exception" (generic catch-all) exception...
Ok. By default, SQL Server Express does not expose itself on the network. In
addition, it's generally installed as a named instance--usually "SQLEXPRESS"
so the strSQLServerName must include the instance name as in
MySystem\SQLEXPRESS
to reference it. You also need to have rights on the specified database
unless the current user is in the Admin group. You aren't using the User
Instance option which has its benefits and issues.
hth
____________________________________
William (Bill) Vaughn
Author, Mentor, Consultant
Microsoft MVP
INETA Speaker
www.betav.com/blog/billva
www.betav.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
__________________________________
Visit www.hitchhikerguides.net to get more information on my latest book:
Hitchhiker's Guide to Visual Studio and SQL Server (7th Edition)
and Hitchhiker's Guide to SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (EBook)
------
"Earl" <brikshoe@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:uU42Ls3LHHA.140@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> 1. Yes, an existing SQL Express instance (I even tested it myself with
> GotoMeeting, so I can see what they have)
> 2. It is running
> 3. Windows Authentication
> 4. Errors -- that is where the weirdness appears -- my error messages in
> the Try/Catch do not show, I get the fancy generic Windows program error
> message ("We are sorry for the inconvenience..." the one where they want
> you to send information to Microsoft).
> 5. I did not check the event log that is something I can review.
> 6. Connection string:
> m_strConnection = "data source=" + m_strSQLServerName + ";" +
> "initial catalog="+m_strDatabaseName+";integrated
> security=SSPI;";
> "William (Bill) Vaughn" <billvaRemoveThis@.nwlink.com> wrote in message
> news:eZi8YW2LHHA.3668@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
|||If anyone is still following this thread ... I've had the same response on 3
different systems now, one was a brand new install -- XP Pro, service pack
2, .Net 2.0 framework, SQLExpress2.0, and SSMSEE. I made no configuration
changes and accepted all defaults on the SQLExpress install, except for one:
I added the install user to the Administrator role.
Checked the event log after the crashes. The errors are showing as ".Net
Runtime 2.0 Errors". One error showed as "system.invalidoperationexception",
but all the others showed as "system.io.filenotfoundexception". Any
thoughts?
"William (Bill) Vaughn" <billvaRemoveThis@.nwlink.com> wrote in message
news:eLmTomGMHHA.1872@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Assuming you're trapping the "Exception" (generic catch-all) exception...
> Ok. By default, SQL Server Express does not expose itself on the network.
> In addition, it's generally installed as a named instance--usually
> "SQLEXPRESS" so the strSQLServerName must include the instance name as in
> MySystem\SQLEXPRESS
> to reference it. You also need to have rights on the specified database
> unless the current user is in the Admin group. You aren't using the User
> Instance option which has its benefits and issues.
> hth
> --
> ____________________________________
> William (Bill) Vaughn
> Author, Mentor, Consultant
> Microsoft MVP
> INETA Speaker
> www.betav.com/blog/billva
> www.betav.com
> Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> __________________________________
> Visit www.hitchhikerguides.net to get more information on my latest book:
> Hitchhiker's Guide to Visual Studio and SQL Server (7th Edition)
> and Hitchhiker's Guide to SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition (EBook)
> ------
> "Earl" <brikshoe@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
> news:uU42Ls3LHHA.140@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
|||The one thing that seems to stand out to me is that you have never mentioned
any error or message coming from SQL Express. A file not found error from
the .Net framework seems to be unrelated to the database. You seem
convinced that this is a database error but you haven't given any evidence
of this. Have you debugged through the application startup to see where the
exception is thrown?
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
"Earl" <brikshoe@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:uq26gHzMHHA.1240@.TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> If anyone is still following this thread ... I've had the same response on
> 3 different systems now, one was a brand new install -- XP Pro, service
> pack 2, .Net 2.0 framework, SQLExpress2.0, and SSMSEE. I made no
> configuration changes and accepted all defaults on the SQLExpress install,
> except for one: I added the install user to the Administrator role.
> Checked the event log after the crashes. The errors are showing as ".Net
> Runtime 2.0 Errors". One error showed as
> "system.invalidoperationexception", but all the others showed as
> "system.io.filenotfoundexception". Any thoughts?
>
> "William (Bill) Vaughn" <billvaRemoveThis@.nwlink.com> wrote in message
> news:eLmTomGMHHA.1872@.TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
|||As I said, I am computer illiterate. SQL Express means nothing to me. I am
trying to make copies off of Adobe Reader and the generic screen you
mentioned pops up.
HHH
"Earl" wrote:

> I have an issue that is totally baffling me. When I use a program I've
> written to connect to SQLExpress (and a given database), all works well on
> my development system and on a laptop that I tested with. However, I have
> two users that I sent the SAME database files and program files to and at
> the moment the program tries to connect to the server/database, they get the
> generic Windows error message "[Your Program] has encountered an error and
> needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
> This differs from handled exceptions and unhandled exceptions within the
> program. I have had the users uninstall their older SQLExpress and update to
> the recent service pack, checked various configuration settings, including
> owner of the database, including allowed remote connections, both TCP/IP and
> NamedPipe. Everything "looks" correct, but no connection and the
> above-mentioned Windows error message. I am just stumped, so I'd love to
> hear any ideas or advice from anyone who has seen this before.
>
>
|||HHH
"Earl" wrote:

> I have an issue that is totally baffling me. When I use a program I've
> written to connect to SQLExpress (and a given database), all works well on
> my development system and on a laptop that I tested with. However, I have
> two users that I sent the SAME database files and program files to and at
> the moment the program tries to connect to the server/database, they get the
> generic Windows error message "[Your Program] has encountered an error and
> needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."
> This differs from handled exceptions and unhandled exceptions within the
> program. I have had the users uninstall their older SQLExpress and update to
> the recent service pack, checked various configuration settings, including
> owner of the database, including allowed remote connections, both TCP/IP and
> NamedPipe. Everything "looks" correct, but no connection and the
> above-mentioned Windows error message. I am just stumped, so I'd love to
> hear any ideas or advice from anyone who has seen this before.
>
>
|||Actually, I did find the error in the app startup. It was a 3rd-party
component missing references.
"Roger Wolter[MSFT]" <rwolter@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:%23oqf0ZzMHHA.1252@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> The one thing that seems to stand out to me is that you have never
> mentioned any error or message coming from SQL Express. A file not found
> error from the .Net framework seems to be unrelated to the database. You
> seem convinced that this is a database error but you haven't given any
> evidence of this. Have you debugged through the application startup to
> see where the exception is thrown?
> --
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
> http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm
> "Earl" <brikshoe@.newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
> news:uq26gHzMHHA.1240@.TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>