Can't connect to SQL Server after 'Web Deploy' - how to debug?

Question

ASP.NET MVC 4 website, SQL Server 2012.

When I upload all files to Windows Server 2008 R2, source, web config etc, the app works fine.

When I use 'Web Deploy' - which only uploads 'required files', ie strips out source files, web.config etc - it comes up with this error:

A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)

Stack Trace:

[SqlException (0x80131904): A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)]
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action`1 wrapCloseInAction) +6676046
   System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean callerHasConnectionLock, Boolean asyncClose) +810
   System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.Connect(ServerInfo serverInfo, SqlInternalConnectionTds connHandler, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout, Int64 timerExpire, Boolean encrypt, Boolean trustServerCert, Boolean integratedSecurity, Boolean withFailover) +6702720
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.AttemptOneLogin(ServerInfo serverInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean ignoreSniOpenTimeout, TimeoutTimer timeout, Boolean withFailover) +219
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.LoginNoFailover(ServerInfo serverInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, TimeoutTimer timeout) +6704856
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds.OpenLoginEnlist(TimeoutTimer timeout, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance) +6705315
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds..ctor(DbConnectionPoolIdentity identity, SqlConnectionString connectionOptions, SqlCredential credential, Object providerInfo, String newPassword, SecureString newSecurePassword, Boolean redirectedUserInstance, SqlConnectionString userConnectionOptions) +610
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnectionFactory.CreateConnection(DbConnectionOptions options, DbConnectionPoolKey poolKey, Object poolGroupProviderInfo, DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnection owningConnection, DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +1049
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.CreatePooledConnection(DbConnectionPool pool, DbConnectionOptions options, DbConnectionPoolKey poolKey, DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +74
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.CreateObject(DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +6707883
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.UserCreateRequest(DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +78
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningObject, UInt32 waitForMultipleObjectsTimeout, Boolean allowCreate, Boolean onlyOneCheckConnection, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal& connection) +2192
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionPool.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningObject, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal& connection) +116
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionFactory.TryGetConnection(DbConnection owningConnection, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions, DbConnectionInternal& connection) +1012
   System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionClosed.TryOpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory, TaskCompletionSource`1 retry, DbConnectionOptions userOptions) +6712511
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.TryOpen(TaskCompletionSource`1 retry) +152
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() +229
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlProviderServices.UsingConnection(SqlConnection sqlConnection, Action`1 act) +134
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlProviderServices.UsingMasterConnection(SqlConnection sqlConnection, Action`1 act) +3805119
   System.Data.SqlClient.SqlProviderServices.GetDbProviderManifestToken(DbConnection connection) +10957386
   System.Data.Common.DbProviderServices.GetProviderManifestToken(DbConnection connection) +91

[ProviderIncompatibleException: The provider did not return a ProviderManifestToken string.]
   System.Data.Common.DbProviderServices.GetProviderManifestToken(DbConnection connection) +10957457
   System.Data.Entity.ModelConfiguration.Utilities.DbProviderServicesExtensions.GetProviderManifestTokenChecked(DbProviderServices providerServices, DbConnection connection) +48

[ProviderIncompatibleException: An error occurred while getting provider information from the database. This can be caused by Entity Framework using an incorrect connection string. Check the inner exceptions for details and ensure that the connection string is correct.]
   System.Data.Entity.ModelConfiguration.Utilities.DbProviderServicesExtensions.GetProviderManifestTokenChecked(DbProviderServices providerServices, DbConnection connection) +242
   System.Data.Entity.DbModelBuilder.Build(DbConnection providerConnection) +82
   System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.CreateModel(LazyInternalContext internalContext) +88
   System.Data.Entity.Internal.RetryLazy`2.GetValue(TInput input) +248
   System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.InitializeContext() +524
   System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.CreateObjectContextForDdlOps() +23
   System.Data.Entity.Database.CreateIfNotExists() +38
   cityKingMVC4.MvcApplication.Application_Start() in c:\a\src\cityKingMVC4\Global.asax.cs:27

[HttpException (0x80004005): An error occurred while getting provider information from the database. This can be caused by Entity Framework using an incorrect connection string. Check the inner exceptions for details and ensure that the connection string is correct.]
   System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.EnsureAppStartCalledForIntegratedMode(HttpContext context, HttpApplication app) +12864365
   System.Web.HttpApplication.RegisterEventSubscriptionsWithIIS(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context, MethodInfo[] handlers) +175
   System.Web.HttpApplication.InitSpecial(HttpApplicationState state, MethodInfo[] handlers, IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +304
   System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetSpecialApplicationInstance(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +404
   System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.InitializeApplication(IntPtr appContext) +475

[HttpException (0x80004005): An error occurred while getting provider information from the database. This can be caused by Entity Framework using an incorrect connection string. Check the inner exceptions for details and ensure that the connection string is correct.]
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.FirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +12881108
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.EnsureFirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +159
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) +12722297

As there is no web.config on the server now (I assume it has been compiled into a .dll) - and the error message doesn't tell me what it is trying to connect as - how on earth can I debug this? How can I find out what connection string it is trying to use?

There is no transform in web.release.config to change the connection string.

Any ideas how to debug - and what might be causing this?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Web.config is not compiled into the dll of your website. If your connection string is stored in the web.config, make sure the file is on the server when running the website. Do either of the following:

1. Include web.config in deployment by following the steps in this previous answer .

2. Manually copy web.config to your server and change the settings there. This will prevent overriding the settings when deploying.

For a production website, the second option is probably the best.

Answer 2

try saving connection string in web.config file. Then run it.