Hi,

You can specify the server name & instance name in the connection, ie "YOURSQLSERVER\YOURSQLINTSANCE"

If you've already ran the install wizard you can adjust this in the web.config, in the umbracoDbDsn app setting.

If you're having trouble, try connecting via SSMS using the same name/instance you are giving Umbraco.

HTH,
Tom 

I see no where in the Umbraco install wizard to set the SQL Server instance. It says SQL Server (Not Installed), but it is installed. Why does it keep doing that? And just going into the web.config and changing the connection string isn't going to do anything if there isn't a database to point to. Please assist. Honestly this si insane it wants to download and install SQL Server 2008 R2 whihc is a huge download when there is ALREADY a default instance of SQL Server 2008 R2 installed and running. I need to be able to point to this instance DURING the Umbraco install and tell Umbraco that the SQL instance exists.

Hi,

The first step is to create the database manually in your SQL Server install, just create a blank one along with a user with permissions to it.

Then during the install wizard, you specify the server/instance in the "Server" field (ie YOURMACHINE\SQLSERVER or .\SQLEXPRESS etc).  Enter the name of the DB you just created along with the credentials.  When you click Next, the installer will create all the necessary tables in your DB.

Here's a blog post that may help (How to install Umbraco manually)

Let us know how you get along..

-Tom

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Unfortunately I'm not familiar with the Web Platform Installer so I'm not sure why it thinks you don't have SQL installed

You can install Umbraco manually though using the steps above, the actual Umbraco install wizard (not WPI) will allow you to enter the SQL details regardless.

-Tom

I think this relates to the other post you made about this, which I've replied to

is working on a reply...