SQL Server Express connection string on server not working

Question

I have uploaded my project to a server and everything works fine until I try to "log-in" or "register" using EF

Interestingly, on my PC, I have got this to work with SQL Server Express & SQL Server Compact - it just does not work on the server

On the server, I have SQL Server Express installed

Here is the connection string

<add name="DefaultConnection"
     connectionString="data source=(localhost);Integrated Security=SSPI;
                       database=aspnet-MvcDealerConn-20121005200308;
                       AttachDBFilename=|DataDirectory|aspnet-MvcDealerConn-20121005200308.mdf;
                       User Instance=true"
     providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />

Any help would be much appreciated

Answer 1

The whole User Instance and AttachDbFileName= approach is flawed - at best! And it's deprecated, too - don't use it!

The way I would solve this is:

1. install SQL Server Express (and you've already done that anyway)

2. install SQL Server Management Studio Express

3. create your database in SSMS Express , give it a logical name (eg DealerConn )

4. connect to it using its logical database name (given when you create it on the server) - and don't mess around with physical database files and user instances. In that case, your connection string would be something like:

    Data Source=servername\\\\SQLEXPRESS;Database=DealerConn;User ID=SomeUser;Pwd=SecretPwd 

   and everything else is exactly the same as before...

Since it's hosted on a remote server, I also believe you need to most likely provide a separate, explicit User name and password (and you cannot use the Integrated Security=SSPI; tag)