SQL Server Installation
SQL Server Installation
Both DB Precision as well as our add-in product, DBPXL require that SQL Server be installed. If you do not have the full version of SQL Server and only require the free version (SQL Express), the latest version can be downloaded from Microsoft here. When completing the installation, please be aware of the following:

  • 1) Mixed Mode Authentication: when installing SQL Server, make sure that you select Mixed Mode Authentication when selecting Authentication Mode (see the following screenshot).


  • 2) Changing to Mixed Mode Authentication if Database is Already Installed: if the database has already been installed using Windows Authentication mode, you can change to Mixed Mode Authentication by opening SQL Server Management Studio and then right-clicking the database and then selecting Properties. On the Security tab under Server authentication, choose SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode and press OK (see the following screenshot).



  • 3) Enable Remote Connections: unless DB Precision is running on a standalone machine (where a single machine is running DB Precision and also has the database installed), you need to make sure that SQL Server has remote connections enabled. To do this, open SQL Management Studio, right-click the server and select Properties. Select the Connections tab and then, under Remote server connections, check the box Allow remote connections to this server (see the following screenshot).



  • 4) Configure Windows Firewall:  on the database server, you need to allow database connections through the Windows Firewall. To do this, complete the following steps:
    • On the Start menu, click Run, type WF.msc, and then click OK.
    • In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, in the left pane, right-click Inbound Rules, and then select New Rule... from the resulting menu.
    • In the Rule Type dialog box, select Program, and then click Next.
    • In the Program dialog box, select This program path:. Click Browse, and navigate to the version of SQL Server that you want to allow through the firewall (see the following), and then click Open. Click Next after selecting.

      • SQL Server 2014: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL12.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\Sqlservr.exe
      • SQL Server 2016: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\Sqlservr.exe
      • SQL Server 2017: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL14.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\Sqlservr.exe
      • SQL Server 2019: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL15.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Binn\Sqlservr.exe
    • In the Action dialog box, select Allow the connection, and then click Next.
    • In the Profile dialog box, select any profiles that describe the computer connection environment when you want to connect to the Database Engine, and then click Next.
    • In the Name dialog box, type a name and description for this rule ("Allow SQL Server" for example), and then click Finish.
    • Repeat the above steps for SQL Browser where the name of the program to allow is in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\sqlbrowser.exe (note that this path is the same path for all version of SQL Server) and the name for the rule should be different ("Allow SQL Server Browser" for example).
  • 5) SQL Server Management Studio:  make sure that you have also installed SQL Management Studio as this will be required to maintain the database. the latest version can be downloaded from Microsoft here.
  • 6) Launch SQL Server Management Studio:  confirm that SQL Server is now running. To do this, launch Management Studio and make sure that you are able to connect to the database. If you are unable to connect, you may need to restart your computer.
  • 7) Additional Configuration: if you are still having trouble connecting to the database, it may be that you need to modify additional settings. To do this, open SQL Server Configuration Manager (C:\Windows\SysWOW64\SQLServerManager15.msc - or lower numbers than 15 for earlier versions), expand out SQL Server Network Configuration to display Protocols for MSSQLSERVER, right-click both Named Pipes and TCP/IP and then choose Enable from the resulting menu. Also, confirm that both SQL Server and SQL Server Browser are both running (under SQL Server Services also within Sql Server Configuration Manager). If not running, right click and select Start.

    If unable to select Start, 1) Open Windows Control Panel from the Windows Start Menu, 2) Select Administrative Tools (from icon view), 3) Select Services, 4) Select SQL Server Browser, 5) right-click, and select Properties From the Startup Type dropdown, change from Disabled to Automatic.

  • 8) Test Firewall Configuration:  if you are still having problems connecting to the database, confirm that you are able to access the server. To do this, do the following:
    • Determine Database Internal IP: Open the Windows Command Prompt on the database server and type "ipconfig /all". The internal IP address is listed as "IPV4 Address".
    • Check Machine Access: Open the Windows Command Prompt on the server where you are unable to connect and type "ping " and the IP address from above (ex. "ping 192.168.1.1").
    • Determine SQL Server Port being Used: 1) Open SQL Server Configuration Manager on the database server, 2) expand "SQL Server Network Configuration", 3) select "Protocols for MSSQLSERVER", 4) right click "TCP/IP" and choose "Properties", 5) on the IP Addresses tab, the IP address is listed as "TCP Port".
    • Run Telnet: On the machine where you are unable to connect, type "telnet" along with the IP address and SQL port number separated by spaces (ex "telnet 192.168.1.1 1433"). If that port is not blocked, you will see a blank screen.
    • Telnet Not Installed: If Telnet is not installed, 1) Open Windows Control Panel, 2) Select "Uninstall a program", 3) Choose "Turn Windows features on or off", 4) Then check the box "Telnet Client"


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