Fix: Connections to SQL Server 2005 on Windows Vista suddenly stop working
- by NTulip
On my Vista machine at work, applications and the SQL Server Management Console work fine connecting to SQL Server 2005. Sometimes they are ok for weeks at a time, sometime for hours and then they stop connecting. 
I've tried everything to get it to work including the installation of SPII and running the user provisioning tool without any luck. The only way to fix it was to restart.
The Error:
Connections are refused with the standard error message:
  Cannot connect to
  SERVER_NAME\INSTANCE_NAME
  
  ------------------------------ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
  
  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) (Microsoft
  SQL Server, Error: -1)
  
  For help, click:
  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&EvtSrc=MSSQLServer&EvtID=-1&LinkId=20476
The Fix:
Stop and restart the Sql Server Browser, Sql Server integration, SQL Server Active Directory Helper services.
Works like a charm.