SQL Server 2000 connection strings

Microsoft SqlClient Data Provider for SQL Server

Specifying packet size

Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;User ID=myUsername;Password=myPassword;Trusted_Connection=False;Packet Size=4096;

By default, the Microsoft .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server sets the network packet size to 8192 bytes. This might however not be optimal, try to set this value to 4096 instead. The default value of 8192 might cause Failed to reserve contiguous memory errors as well, read more here.

.NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server

Trusted Connection from a CE device

A Windows CE device is most often not authenticated and logged in to a domain but it is possible to use SSPI or trusted connection and authentication from a CE device using this connection string.

Data Source=myServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;Integrated Security=SSPI;User ID=myDomain\myUsername;Password=myPassword;

Note that this will only work on a CE device.

Specifying packet size

Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;User ID=myUsername;Password=myPassword;Trusted_Connection=False;Packet Size=4096;

By default, the Microsoft .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server sets the network packet size to 8192 bytes. This might however not be optimal, try to set this value to 4096 instead. The default value of 8192 might cause Failed to reserve contiguous memory errors as well, read more here.

SQL Server Native Client 10.0 OLE DB Provider

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Provider=SQLNCLI10;Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

SQL Server Native Client 10.0 ODBC Driver

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Driver={SQL Server Native Client 10.0};Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

SQL Native Client 9.0 OLE DB Provider

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Provider=SQLNCLI;Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

SQL Native Client 9.0 ODBC Driver

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Driver={SQL Native Client};Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server

Trusted connection

Provider=sqloledb;Data Source=myServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;Integrated Security=SSPI;

Use serverName\instanceName as Data Source to use a specific SQL Server instance. Please note that the multiple SQL Server instances feature is available only from SQL Server version 2000 and not in any previous versions.

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Provider=sqloledb;Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;User Id=myUsername;Password=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

Prompt for username and password

This one is a bit tricky. First set the connection object's Provider property to "sqloledb". Thereafter set the connection object's Prompt property to adPromptAlways. Then use the connection string to connect to the database.

oConn.Provider = "sqloledb"
oConn.Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways

oConn.Open "Data Source=myServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;"

Disable connection pooling

This one is usefull when receving errors "sp_setapprole was not invoked correctly." (7.0) or "General network error. Check your network documentation" (2000) when connecting using an application role enabled connection. Application pooling (or OLE DB resource pooling) is on by default. Disabling it can help on this error.

Provider=sqloledb;Data Source=myServerAddress;Initial Catalog=myDataBase;User ID=myUsername;Password=myPassword;OLE DB Services=-2;

Microsoft SQL Server ODBC Driver

Using a non-standard port

If your SQL Server listens on a non-default port you can specify that using the servername,xxxx syntax (note the comma, it's not a colon).

Driver={SQL Server};Server=myServerName,myPortNumber;Database=myDataBase;Uid=myUsername;Pwd=myPassword;

The default SQL Server port is 1433 and there is no need to specify that in the connection string.

Prompt for username and password

This one is a bit tricky. First you need to set the connection object's Prompt property to adPromptAlways. Then use the connection string to connect to the database.

oConn.Properties("Prompt") = adPromptAlways

oConn.Open "Driver={SQL Server};Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;"