How to enable remote connections to an SQL Server 2005 Express VMware VCenter Database

- Enabled remote connection on SQL Server Surface Area Configuration
Open SQL Server Surface Area Configuration.
Select Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.
On the left side, expand your SQL Server instance -> Database Engine -> Remote Connections. On the right side, select Local and remote connections -> using both TCP/IP and named pipes.
On the left side, select SQL Server Browser -> Service.
On the right side, if the startup type is Disable, you need to change to Automatic and click Apply and click Start button to start the service. Then, click OK.
- Change this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQLServer\LoginMode
(MSSQL.1 relates to the instance you want to play with – it could be MSSQL.2, or .3 etc).
It’s default value is 1. Set it to 2 to allow both windows authentication and sql logins.
You have to restart the SQL services before the changes apply.
- To change sa password open a command prompt and enter this command
osql -E -S vcenter\SQLEXP_VIM
You will see this prompt:
1>
In this prompt enter these commands (replace sapwd with your password)
ALTER LOGIN sa WITH PASSWORD = 'sapwd';
GO
ALTER LOGIN sa ENABLE;
GO
Type exit to exit osql
- Try to connect to SQL Server using sa account and entering your new password
osql -U sa -S vcenter\SQLEXP_VIM

Resources:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322336
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322336
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sql_protocols/archive/2005/10/22/483684.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms165702.aspx
http://www.linglom.com/2007/08/31/enable-remote-connection-to-sql-server-2005-express/