How to connect to MICROSOFT##SSEE (Windows Internal Database) - SharePoint 2010

In a previous post, I introduced the way how to connect to internal sharepoint database. But the limited is just supported for SharePoint 2010.

In SharePoint 2010, something changed in the structure of Database such as the instance name is SERVER\SHAREPOINT instead of SERVER\SQLEXPRESS or SERVER\OFFICESERVERS,... or something like that.

And it's easy to understand that internal database also gives the way easiest to connect to database, just replace the instance name in connnection string to "SHAREPOINT": \\.\pipe\MSSQL$SHAREPOINT\sql\query

How to fix error "Cannot connect to the configuration database"

When you try to view your Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 Web site, you receive the following error message: Cannot connect to the configuration database.

Please read this KB to know how to fix this error: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823287

On that KB, Microsoft explains 4 situations may happen that error and lead to verify on your system. But another reason was found and often causes if you are running on SharePoint Farm or using Domain account to configure out the SharePoint.

1) On SharePoint Farm

You should check on your server in which hosting SharePoint Central Admin the Local Users & Groups to find out whether any account did not deduce to fullname account. That means each of account in Local Users & Groups must be show full name of that account and you will see them very clearly. 

For example: when you get the error "cannot connect to the configuration database", let do the following instruction. 

-> from Start Menu -> Run -> type compmgmt.msc then Enter. After windows opens, expand Local Users & Group, click to open Groups, and then double-click on any group. You will see the error like that:

Because the domain account did not deduce on your system, so SharePoint can not connect to SQL server and that error happens.

For double-hop, you should verify this thing both on SQL machine where is hosting your SQL and SharePoint Central Admin.

Note: Don't try to remove that account and re-add them.

To fix this issue, just disconnect both your system from your domain and join to the domain again.

2) On Single Server using Internal DataBase (connect to MICROSOFT##SSEE)

If on single server happens this issue, please remove the account to connect to SQL group in Local Users & Groups. Find in all SQL groups and WSS/MOSS group and remove that account out of group, then add this account into that group again.

Good luck.

How to connect to MICROSOFT##SSEE (Windows Internal Database)

When we run the wizard configuration for SharePoint, we have 2 options to install: Web Front-End and Standard. For Web Front-End, we will use a specific SQL server, database and account to login. For standard, we needn't install SQL Server, so we won't specify SQL Server name, database and account, SharePoint will install a minimum SQL server with windows authentication. You never know what the server name is, however, you can open Registy Editor to see the currently server name SharePoint is using.

[To open Registry Editor from Windows Start -> Run -> type Regedit and then press Enter] Expand the following path:

[SharePoint 2007] HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\12.0\Secure\ConfigDB

[SharePoint 2010] HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server Extensions\14.0\Secure\ConfigDB

On the left handsite, you will see the property DNS with the value like this:

Data Source=WSS2K3X86Final\Microsoft##SSEE;Initial Catalog=SharePoint_Config_d3e9e3d0-4d67-48fb-9242-4e46b0021086;Integrated Security=True;Enlist=False

Yeah, for now you can install SQL Server on that server to try to connect to SharePoint Standard server with  server name above. The result is "can not connect to database server"!

In fact, SSEE means SharePoint Service Embedded Edition server, it's connected through Name Pipe. To find out the name pipe server, the following step to show you.

1) Run SQL Server Configuration Manager:

The Windows Internal Database is connecting to MICROSOFT##SSEE is currently to use for SharePoint. Now, click on Protocols for Microsoft##SSEE

2) The name pipe shows as following picture:

3) Double click on Name Pipes to see the server link to connect:

Now, you can connect to \\.\pipe\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE\sql\query