Friday, February 24, 2012

Databases folder empty in Enterprise Manager

Hi all,
I have installed MSDE 2000 SP3a on a workstation, as well as SQL Server
client tools on the same machine. When I open Enterprise Manager, the
Databases folder is empty. Even the master database plus other default
databases (msdb, ...) are not shown. I have made sure the "show system
databases and objects" setting is checked. This happens whether I
connect to the MSDE server using the sa account or Windows
authentication. Also the Query Analyzer utility doesn't work as well.
It opens, but the command window has no place to type SQL commands, and
the Object Browser doesn't show any databases.
I also have a number of old databases (.mdf and .ldf files) that I want
to attach to this instance. These databases have been originally
copied from another machine, and have been working on this machine with
a previous installation of SQL Server Personal Edition. When I open
the attach databases window in Enterprise Manager, and select a mdf
file, and click OK, at first nothing happens (no feedback, and the
dialog even doesn't go away) but clicking OK a second time gives an
error message stating that a database with the same name already exists
(and yet the dialog remains open.) Any further actions will take
Enterprise Manager down by a crash.
Then I tried connecting to MSDE using osql.exe, and a "USE master;
SELECT * FROM sysdatabases;" shows the attached db as well, and I can
even switch to that db and select/insert/update/delete data in it. And
using the sp_attach_db stored procedure in osql.exe works without any
errors. But still none of the databases listed in sysdatabases is
shown in Enterprise Manager.
I could go on working in osql.exe but I'm not very knowledgable in
working with MSDE using SQL commands, and I'd rather do the same in
Enterprise Manager. I have the exact same setup on other workstations
and they work beautifully. Upgrding MSDE to SP4 and client tools to
SP3 didn't solve anything as well.
Can someone help me there please?
Thanks!
Ehsan
The MSDE edition of SQL Server was developed to answer the needs of some
people who don't want to spend money on buying SQL Server. MSDE is available
to anyone but has some restrictions, some of them are:
- 2 GB maximum capacity
- Doesn't work with Graphic Administration Tools like Enterprise Manager.
The administration must be made by code (T-SQL).
I don't know the kind of needs you have but try to build an Access project
and link the database tables to it. You can build views directly and have
access to table objects.
"ehsan.akhgari@.gmail.com" wrote:

> Hi all,
> I have installed MSDE 2000 SP3a on a workstation, as well as SQL Server
> client tools on the same machine. When I open Enterprise Manager, the
> Databases folder is empty. Even the master database plus other default
> databases (msdb, ...) are not shown. I have made sure the "show system
> databases and objects" setting is checked. This happens whether I
> connect to the MSDE server using the sa account or Windows
> authentication. Also the Query Analyzer utility doesn't work as well.
> It opens, but the command window has no place to type SQL commands, and
> the Object Browser doesn't show any databases.
> I also have a number of old databases (.mdf and .ldf files) that I want
> to attach to this instance. These databases have been originally
> copied from another machine, and have been working on this machine with
> a previous installation of SQL Server Personal Edition. When I open
> the attach databases window in Enterprise Manager, and select a mdf
> file, and click OK, at first nothing happens (no feedback, and the
> dialog even doesn't go away) but clicking OK a second time gives an
> error message stating that a database with the same name already exists
> (and yet the dialog remains open.) Any further actions will take
> Enterprise Manager down by a crash.
> Then I tried connecting to MSDE using osql.exe, and a "USE master;
> SELECT * FROM sysdatabases;" shows the attached db as well, and I can
> even switch to that db and select/insert/update/delete data in it. And
> using the sp_attach_db stored procedure in osql.exe works without any
> errors. But still none of the databases listed in sysdatabases is
> shown in Enterprise Manager.
> I could go on working in osql.exe but I'm not very knowledgable in
> working with MSDE using SQL commands, and I'd rather do the same in
> Enterprise Manager. I have the exact same setup on other workstations
> and they work beautifully. Upgrding MSDE to SP4 and client tools to
> SP3 didn't solve anything as well.
> Can someone help me there please?
> Thanks!
> Ehsan
>
|||Thanks for your reply,
I did not know about this restriction for MSDE. That explains
everything now.
Ehsan