cant connect to sql server 05 from vs .net 03

have SQL server 05, trying to make a data connection from Visual Studio 03
and get
connection failed
sql state 08001
sql server error 17
server does not exist, etc.
The server does exist, of course-
tried both trusted connection and login ID & PW.
Am I once again just a MS guinea pig in a test lab ?
Does any of this really work for anyone ?
I'm just an Access programmer wanting to move up and play with SQL Server,
but I get the sense the whole thing is just some MS joke - ?
Even my copy of SQL sever 7 is unstable -
Access at least works - should I just forget about SQL server ?
Which version of SQL Server 2005 are you using and are you connecting from
the same computer or a different computer? For the developer or evaluation
editions of SQL Server 2005 you must use the Surface Area Configuration tool
to enable TCP connections from another computer. If SQL Server is installed
on Windows XP Professional SP2, you may need to configure the firewall as
well.
Rick Byham
MCDBA, MCSE, MCSA
Lead Technical Writer,
Microsoft, SQL Server Books Online
This posting is provided "as is" with
no warranties, and confers no rights.
"barret bonden" <arthur@.networks-cc.com> wrote in message
news:lsMgf.1701$Jq4.1087@.fe09.lga...
> have SQL server 05, trying to make a data connection from Visual Studio 03
> and get
> connection failed
> sql state 08001
> sql server error 17
> server does not exist, etc.
> The server does exist, of course-
> tried both trusted connection and login ID & PW.
> Am I once again just a MS guinea pig in a test lab ?
> Does any of this really work for anyone ?
> I'm just an Access programmer wanting to move up and play with SQL Server,
> but I get the sense the whole thing is just some MS joke - ?
> Even my copy of SQL sever 7 is unstable -
> Access at least works - should I just forget about SQL server ?
>