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pgowingFlag for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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Unable to add SQLServer as ODBC data source

We have installed the SQL Server 2005 Enterprise 180 day trial on a Windows Server 2003 Enterprise server and need to test that our bespoke app can connect to the SQL database we have imported into SQL Server. However, before we even get to that point we need to add the database as an ODBC data source through Control Panel -> Admin Tools -> Data Sources
So we open that up, click the System DSN tab and then try to add SQLServer as the source. However, once we have selected the source type we then try to select from the drop down list that should show all the SQL servers on that domain but it is empty.... We should at least have Local in there as we are testing this on the SQL server itself. So my question is how can we get the server to appear in that drop down list as we cannot proceed without this?
I have seen this functionality working fine on this exact same server before SQL Server was re-installed but since we re-installed it and installed the SQL Tools (god knows why these arent installed by default) it seems to of stopped working.
All of the SQL services are running and the server has been rebooted but no joy :(
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Yveau
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You can just type the server name in that drop down box. (local) will do ... But you are right that is is strange, it should be there ... double check if the SQL Server browser service running on the SQL Server. If it is not running, that might be the cause it doesn't show up in the drop down list ...

Hope this helps ...
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ASKER

I'll get someone to try typing it in then (im not on site at the mo) and let you know how that goes but im assuming if it cant contact the bits it needs to to bring the server up in that box then it might not work just with the name typed in.
As I said all the services are running and have been restarted along with the server itself being restarted.
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assyst

Are you are able to open SQL Server in SQL Server Management Studio. This is just to make sure that the installation is done properly.
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ASKER

Yeah we can do everything as normal in the management studio. I've restored databases etc and all worked fine.
Which driver do you select when creating the ODBC. I mean SQL Server/ SQL Native Client or something else...
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ASKER

sql server
Try installing the latest MDAC from Microsoft if possible.
... is it a named instance ? In that case you should enter that in the server name as well:
    YourServer\Instance
instead of just
    YourServer

Hope this helps ...
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pgowing
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So the Redmond solution did it again huh ?!
:-)

Glad it is working again !