SQL Server Express ConnectionString not working

Question

I am trying to connect to a local SQL Server Express database and I got it working inside a console application but now when I try to do it for a Windows service it doesn't work. I don't know what the problem is. The connection string that worked on the console application is below:

string connectionString = @"Data Source=BEN-PC\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=testDatabase;Integrated Security=True";

Any help is really appreciated, thanks!

Answer 1

You're using integrated security so the account that is running windows service is probably not configured on SQL Server. Windows service accounts typically have very little permissions.

You should either:

1. Change the account for the windows service that has access to SQL Server.
2. Or specify username and password in your connection string.

Answer 2

Looks like you Windows Service is running under account that doesn't have permissions on the database engine.

another possible issue Datasource. It should be Data Source (with whitespace)

Answer 3

Most likely, the service account under which the service is running doesn't have appropriate permissions on the SQL Server Express database file or it doesn't have appropriate directory permissions.