Microsoft Sql Server Embedded Edition Service

Question

Hello All,

Can someone tell me the actual significance of SQL Server Embedded Edition? How is it different from SQL Express edition?

I understood that WSUS 3.0 version uses (installs) the latter when it could not find any SQL 2k  or SQL 2k5 other than SP1 release (please see Issue 33 in: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/94d1385f-4872-4c29-8822-3a4ec5e45ae41033.mspx?mfr=true) on the host machine.

Besides, when i installed WSS v30 release version, i saw this instance being installed (during the configuration of the Sharepoint products and technologies wizard just after the installation is done). Now with this instance installed, i tried opening this instance (instance name being Microsoft#SSEE) through SQL Server Management Studio, i get the following error

 "TITLE: Connect to Server
------------------------------

Cannot connect to BANAPPS01\MICROSOFT##SSEE.

------------------------------
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server.  When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: -1)

For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=-1&LinkId=20476

------------------------------
"

Please let me know if there's any workaround in getting through this database.

Since i'm not able to open this database, i'm not quite sure if the Sharepoint Central Administration tool is adding the content DBs in the same.

PS: I'm able to create the new webapplication using the Central Administration tool but not able to access the site created. I'm getting site not found errors.

I followed the KB article mentioned in http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;914277, but in vain.

This is what i have in my System:

MS SQL SERVER 2k5 (Release version)+SP1

MS VS 2k5, Developer Edition

Windows 2k3 Standard + SP1

Office 12 beta (I dont think this is an issue as i got the same issue even after uninstalling office12 beta version)

Answer 1

Hi,

This is an embedded data service that can only be used by a handful of Windows Services. It is the designed behavior that you are not allowed to connect to and use this particular database service.

If you want to use SQL Server 2005 behind your applications, you will need to install a different Edition.

Mike

Answer 2

Hello,

 

Can this service be upgraded in WSS 3.0?  I need to be able to change permissions.  It is not sending out alerts. 

Can I upgrade to the express edition and will I loose any files already stored within share point?

 

Thanks,  Leo

Answer 3

Hi Leo,

From what i understood after a series of installs/uninstalls with various options on WSS 3.0 setup, the Microsoft##SSEE is an internal database and a named instance of the SQL Express edition.

If you installed the above setup on a plain machine (without having any version of SQL installed) with Basic or Adanced (with Stand-alone) option, set up installs, as i said above, SQL Express edition with a named instance, Microsoft##SSEE (Microsoft SQL Server Embedded edition) with no graphical interface , such as Management Studio, to enumerate through the database collections.

If you already have an SQL setup installed, which is a normal case, i suggest you do away with pointing to this database, by instructing the setup (sharepoint) to point to the existing database. For this you need to select the Advanced optoin with Webfarm option. This way, you have the option to point to the existing database and you get to access the default configuration and content databases through Management studio by way of making the necessary changes.

So i'm still doubtful/puzzled why this internal database is not exposed through the Management studion, hence my first question. Accession to these databases created by ##SSEE might (must) be required when it comes to allotting sec. permissions or taking the required backups etc.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Sagar

Answer 4

Start Registry Editor, and then locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

• In the left pane, click each GUID. For each GUID that you click, look for a display name in the right pane that matches “Microsoft SQL 2005 embedded Edition…”. When you see a display name that matches the name, copy the value of the Key named “UninstallString”
• Open a Command-Window (Start->run->cmd)
• Paste the Copied string.
• Append “ CALLERID=OCSETUP.EXE” the the end of the pasted text
• Reboot.

Answer 5

You should talke to the WSUS folks about your issue, they either have a way for you to do what you want using their toolset, or they don't support it.

SSEE is hidden for the exact reason that we don't want you messing with it. Applications that relay on embedded installations have very specific configurations that are important to their proper functioning and when you start poking around their servers and changing settings, you're lible to break something and cause the appliction to fail.

The WSUS folks will be able to guide you in getting the functionality you want, or at least record the feature request if the don't currently have the functionality. I don't know if there is a forum for WSUS, if not, you may need to call support to resolve this, you can find contact information on http://support.microsoft.com.

Mike

Answer 6

Thx.

In my case, I can use SQL2000 Std w/4cpu licensing [because its on the machine for a specific purpose] vs the embedded version. RAM is not an issue on this 8GB RAM machine. It is an x64 box & SQL2000-Std & it does see the 8GB's of RAM.  I am certain it is the 32bit SQL2000 as evidenced via the task list's "sqlserv.exe *32" notation. 

How does one make a call on that if we do not know how many processors or RAM is utilized by the embedded version?

I installed the x64 version of WSS v3.  Would that imply if I had chose to go the embedded route it would install an x64 optimized version of the embedded SQL.

cheers

p

Answer 7

Hey Leo,

 

were u able to solve the problem. Even i was not able to send alerts with WSS 3.0. I couldnt open the SQL server 2005 Embedded Edition. If you resolved it, could u pls suggest me or guide me in the right direction.

 

Thanks,

Chandra

Answer 8

you are awesome.  This is exactly what i needed!

Answer 9

If you want to manage this database server, do the following:

1. Install “SQL Server Management Studio Express”, a free download from http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download/ at the same server you have this “##ssee”  database server.
2. When connecting to the database, use this as the “Server Name”: \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query
3. Enjoy.

Answer 10

Perfect!!  Without your connection information in #2, I was hitting a brick wall.  Once I had this, I was able to connect using the SQL Server Management  Studio Express tool and backup and truncate my 2+GB WSS Log file.  Since the Log file was on my C: drive, I was coming very close to filling up the drive.  Thanks much!

Answer 11

Hello,

Would you guys recommend removing SSEE Application if I have SS 2005 Enterprise installed on the server?  Or keep as it is with two editions of the SS?  The issue I am running into is SharePoint Services 3.0 is using Content DB on SSEE, which for some reason have some authentication issue to the underlying datasource on another server.  I am thinking that if Content DB is on the regullar SS 2005 Enterprise instance, authentication would work.

 

Thoughts?

-Lawrence

Answer 12

 

hello guys,

 

i'm trying to modify the email alert message for WSS 3.0, which by default is "Doc1.doc has been changed".

do you think I can dig my way into the embedded content database of WSS to find and modify this string?

thanks and good day.

Answer 13

MSDNuser181 wrote:

When connecting to the database, use this as the “Server Name”: \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query

Thank you. This information should be easier to find.

Answer 14

Awesome. This is what i have been wanting. Now with this name, i'm able to enumerate through the Database collections easily.

 

But, the caveat is not to fiddle with this database instance as this is mainly used as windows internal database (sounds like windows Registry!!!) for many of windows services such as WSUS.

 

Better re-direct Sharepoint traffic to the external, user-facing databases.

 

Thanks very much for the pointer.

Answer 15

Great. It works perfect.

Thank you.

Answer 16

Thanks for theis value peace of info: \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query

Answer 17

Mike

 

You talk about SQL 2005 embedded edition being hidden to stop people from change configuration settings. Does this include database recover models?. We have been handed an embedded edition of SQL server to manage. The databases are all use the  full recovery model and there are no transaction log backups . I have establish connection to the server and I am considering changing the recover model to stop the Databases growing out of control.

 

Do you see any issues with this?

 

Thanks

 

Andrew Fowler

 

Answer 18

 

YOU are God.

 

Thank you so much!!!!

Answer 19

 

Thank you MSDNuser181 - works as desired.

 

I had a marooned 'WSS_Content' database that I no longer could see nor remove in SharePoint 3.0 Central Administrative UI.  There is a longer version of the story that could explain why that is so but I won't go into those details; please just except the premise.   Perhaps it is for a good reason but I don't see what and now I have the opportunity to explore the 'Why?'.  With it removed I hope to then 'Restore' the target web application and its content database (also named WSS_Content) that I wish.

Answer 20

 

Perfect!

 

Thanks MSDNUser181!!!!

Answer 21

Thank's lot. It was verry nice answer

Answer 22

Has anyone tried upgrading the embedded database to full SQL 2008 on SBS? If it is on the same machine i can't see why it shouldn't be possible.

Specifically, i have a lab SBS 2008 std x64 server set up, with a backup 2008 std domain controller. Both servers are located on the same network.

My goal is to achieve 100% failover of critical network services and data (all sql instances, exchange, AD, IIS, NFS for shares etc). I want to be able to shut down the main SBS box, with little or no impact to live network users.

I know SBS is not the ideal platform for the above, and there would be easier (albeit more costly) ways, but for my scenario it is the platform i need to work from.

Licensing for sql, exchange etc. is not an issue and I can use full versions rather than those included with SBS Premium.

I'm not overly experienced with SQL so any advice would be appreciated before i just go and start messing with it to see what happens!

Answer 23

Thanks for theis value peace of info: \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query

This was the best part of this thread. Thanks very much!!!

Answer 24

Does anyone know how to login to SharePoint 2010 Database? Below name does not work for SharePoint 2010 Database.

I have installed SharePoint 2010 as StandAlone server - no webfarm. And I am using SQL server 2008.

Engine name : \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query  
     

 

Answer 25

Thanks a lot for this post !!!

Answer 26

"When connecting to the database, use this as the “Server Name”: \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query"

Thanks!!! This is what I was exactly looking for. Smile

Answer 27

excellent post, helped me delete some orphaned WSS content databases from ##SSEE

couple of updates tho, SQL 05 management studio express will not install on Server 08 R2, but SQL 08 management studio express works the same and is still free

i had to add a \ at the end of the \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query string to get it to open but it worked like a champ

so try \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query\ in the server name field to open a pipe into ##SSEE instance

Oh, i don't think SharePoint Foundation 2010 uses the Windows Internal Database (##SSEE), it uses SQL 08 Express I believe

---

MCITP:Enterprise Admin MCSA, MCSE, MCDBA

Answer 28

If you want to manage this database server, do the following:

1. Install “SQL Server Management Studio Express”, a free download from http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/sql/download/ at the same server you have this “##ssee”  database server.
2. When connecting to the database, use this as the “Server Name”: \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query
3. Enjoy.

Perfect!

Answer 29

i was able to connect to it. but i cannot administer it.... the windos auth user is not a sysadmin on this instance. why so?

 

i have tried a couple of solutions where registering the instance with protocol=namedpipes...but no use....can someone help me with this

 

Installed SqlServer 2008 R2 datacenter edition in mixed mode

used the windows user as sysadmin, and sa user is also a sysadmin

able to connect to default instance and verified that the windows user is indeed a sysadmin

connected to \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query successfully using windows authentication

But, windows user is not a sysadmin and sa user's login is disabled (status tab in login properties). when i tried to enable it, it didn't allow since the windows user is not a sysadmin. however i can see sa is a sysadmin on this instance except that it was not enabled. How can i get around this chicken-egg problem....please let me know.

Answer 30

i was missing that backslash too. once i added it, i was able to login to the SQL Management. Thank you!!!

For those who are having the same issue as me, here is the exact error message i was receiving:

 

TITLE: Connect to Server

------------------------------

Cannot connect to \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query.

------------------------------

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server.  When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 25 - Connection string is not valid) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 87)

For help, click: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=87&LinkId=20476

------------------------------

BUTTONS:

OK

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