I am a new user of SQL Server Express 2005 and I have a question.

What do I need to do to ensure that the client can connect to the SQL
Server 2005 Express database without specifying the port number - in
other words just specify the instance (along with authentication
mechanism.) We have multiple instances of SQL Server 2005 Express and
have this issue with one instance where we have to specify the default
port of 1433 to be connected as sa. One difference is that the SQL
Server service on the Services shows up as "SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)"
instead of "SQL Server (SQLEXPRESS)" as on other servers where this
issue is not that. The TCP/IP port settings are identical. Is it to do
with the instance name of the SQL Server? Can anyone tell me what could
be the reason for this?

Many thanx!

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Are you sure that box is running 2005 and not 2000? That looks a lot

Thanx Jonathan,

Well, unfortunately I am new to SQL Server world :) The person who
installs it compared the installation files with a SQL Express
installation and from all accounts, they match. I think only the
instance name was chosen differently.

Best Regards
Menon
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