SQL Server Management Studio 2012 not recognizing Local Server

Question

I'm a total newb to SSMS, but all of the tutorials I'm finding online gloss over the step where they start up the program and connect to their local server, their computer's name. I'm on Windows 8, and ISS is installed and running correctly. I'm not sure what else I could be missing. Here's a screenshot:

Answer 1

Use localhost as server name. Append /instance_name if you are using instances. For instance, if using SQL Express use localhost/SQLExpress.