Hi Kurt,
I can imagine you are as frustrated as I was... so I am happy to offer
whatever advice I can.
But, I am even less an SQL server expert than I am a BCM expert. I sure
don't want to mislead you, or recommend something that will make your
situation worse.
I know there are posts here which discuss making sure the SQL server service
is running; but, it sounds like you may have already been down that path.
It sure isn't the right way to do it; but, it took me three tries at
creating a new database and then renaming the .ldf and .mdf files from the
good BCM information before things "worked" for me. (It still isn't right
that I have to shut down Outlook and then restart it each time I restart my
system in order for BCM to work; but, that is the reality at the moment.)
I feel more than a little abandoned by those with much more experience in
both of these areas. There is very little help from those who I would suspect
are capable of sharing their expertise. I know it may not be their policy to
post here; but, I would expect some help from Microsoft. (Maybe BCM is a
product that won't be around much longer, or maybe the number of licensed
copies is so small that it doesn't matter to them.) I generally get much
better support on other software vendors' support forums than I do MS...
which really surprises me.
Good luck with your problem.
Take Care
Jeff
"Kurt" wrote:
> I see an additional message when i try and look at other databases "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: Shared Memory provider, error: 40 -
> Could not open a connection to SQL Server)
> "Kurt" wrote:
>
> > hi Jeff,
> > Thanks for the note. I tried the additional instructions as well. I'll
> > admit - i'm not really sure why I'm changing all the permissions, nor, why
> > the permissions change automatically when i move or rename the files.
> > However, the error I'm getting now is "Business Contact Manager for Outlook
> > could not complete your last action or actions. Please try again."
> > Thoughts?
> > "Jeff" wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Kurt,
> > > > The method that I described worked for me, although I still have an issue
> > > with the installation.
> > > > One other factor that may have allowed BCM to work once the good data files
> > > were renamed to the name of the newly created empty database, was that I
> > > changed the permission for NETWORK SERVICES for the .ldf and .mdf files
> > > BEFORE I renamed them and attempted to open them with BCM. I changed them to
> > > "Full Control/Modify/Read/Execute". (Luther had previously suggested looking
> > > at the permissions; I just wasn't sure what I was doing exactly.)
> > > > When I restart Vista, and then start Outlook with BCM, I get a message when
> > > Vista starts stating the following: "Business Contact Manager for Outlook
> > > could not connect to the shared database. Do you want to work offline." I
> > > choose "No". Outlook then opens without a BCM drop-down.
> > > > I then shutdown Outlook and restart. When Outlook restarts, there are no
> > > message windows, and the BCM database that I restored in the manner described
> > > in my previous post works.
> > > > I hope this helps. It would be great if you could let me know, too.
> > > > "Kurt" wrote:
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > > > I encountered an almost identical scenario - i upgraded my box to windows 7
> > > > and forgot to backup my BCM db. Now, I have followed the instructions in
> > > > this thread - from my windows.old copy of the .mdf and .ldf.
> > > > > > However, the database still gives me permission issues (as the local user
> > > > with admin permissions).
> > > > > > Any futher thoughts on how to simply restore my previous .mdf and .ldf? My
> > > > new .mdf and .ldf are empty - i just want to populate the data.
> > > > > > "Jeff" wrote:
> > > > > > > Hi Luther,
> > > > > > > > I believe that your suggestion regarding permissions to the NETWORK
> > > > > SERVICES, I changed the permissions on both the .mdf and .ldf files to allow
> > > > > Full Control.
> > > > > > > > (In case anyone else is searching for an answer to this problem, the
> > > > > following is the order in which I worked to restore this database:
> > > > > > > > 1. Start Outlook
> > > > > 2. Open Business Contact Manager
> > > > > 3. Select Manage Databases
> > > > > 4. Create New Database
> > > > > 5. Close Out of Outlook
> > > > > 6. Stop the SQL Service for MSSMLBIZ
> > > > > 7. Change the permissions for NETWORK SERVICES on the .ldf and .mdf files
> > > > > which have the data desired for access by BCM.
> > > > > 8. Rename the .ldf and .mdf files for the new database created in 4. above
> > > > > to something different.
> > > > > 9. Rename the .ldf and .mdf files for the "good data" to the database name
> > > > > created in 4. above.
> > > > > 10. Start the SQL Service for MSSMLBIZ.
> > > > > 11. Start Outlook
> > > > > 12. Click the Business Contact Manager Pull-Down
> > > > > 13. Select Manage Database
> > > > > > > > With everything above completed, the database should be listed. I hope this
> > > > > helps. Also, please forgive me if it doesn't work exactly the same for
> > > > > everyone. The NETWORK SERVICES that Luther mentioned are about the only thing
> > > > > I didn't try... in the order listed above. I did change the permissions
> > > > > earlier in my troubleshooting; but, I think it was after I had started the
> > > > > SQL service.)
> > > > > > > > Once I confirmed the good contact information, the first thing I did was
> > > > > generate a backup.
> > > > > > > > Thanks again for your help, and for taking the time to point me in the right
> > > > > direction.
> > > > > > > > Take Care
> > > > > > > > Jeff
> > > > > > > > "Luther Blissett" wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Jul 5, 7:06 am, Jeff <J...> wrote:
> > > > > > > Hi,
> > > > > > > > > > > > This is a follow-up question to one that I wrote last night concerning using
> > > > > > > the .mdf and .ldf files from a previous installation of BCM to get most of my
> > > > > > > data back.
> > > > > > > > > > > > I have received an error which states "Unable to open the physical file.....
> > > > > > > .mdf. Operating system error 5: "5(Access is denied)" when I attempt to
> > > > > > > troubleshoot the problem from within Outlook.
> > > > > > > > > > > > I remember when I logged on the backup image file to mount the backup on the
> > > > > > > external hard drive, and then copy the two files above from the image file to
> > > > > > > a location on the local hard drive, a window pops up that states that I will
> > > > > > > need to provide administrator permission to copy each file. I click continue,
> > > > > > > and it is copied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > If I look at the security section of the properties window for each file, I
> > > > > > > see that there is an entry for
> > > > > > > "SQLServer2005MSSQLUser$NewTechFX530$MSSMLB1(NewTech....)" on the files which
> > > > > > > are part of the image backup file. But, when I copy the files over to my
> > > > > > > current boot drive, there is no longer a reference to that group or user
> > > > > > > name. (The groups and user names listed are: "SYSTEM", "NETWORK SERVICE",
> > > > > > > "Jeff (NewTechFX530\Jeff)" and "Administrators (NewTechFX530\Administrators".
> > > > > > > > > > > > I am trying to muddle my way through this... so pardon my thought process if
> > > > > > > it is wrong. Based upon the fact that SQL is not referenced in the copied
> > > > > > > group or user names, should I be doing something with SQL to add it to get
> > > > > > > these files to work on this system? (It is the same system, I just restored
> > > > > > > the boot drive from a much older backup image. The computer name and the
> > > > > > > permissions should all be the same.)
> > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks in advance for any help that can be offered.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Jeff
> > > > > > > > > > Generally, with BCM 2007 and Sql Server 2005, the sql instance/bcm
> > > > > > database runs as built-in user Network Services, so user Network
> > > > > > Services needs to have permission (full control) to access the mdf
> > > > > > file.
> > > > > >
