Sql-server – SQL Server Configuration Manager shows no services

I know of one other thing that you can try. It affects SQL Server 2005 specifically, but might also be useful in your scenario. Essentially, the wmiprvse.exe executable runs under the context of NETWORK SERVICE. SSCM loads the Sqlmgmprovider.dll into this executable under the same security context. Ensure that NETWORK SERVICE has READ permissions to the SQL Services in question.

The steps needed to accomplish this are detailed in the Microsoft Support Article:

Some or all SQL Server 2005 services are not listed in SQL Server Configuration Manager, or you receive a "No SQL Server 2005 components were found" error message when you perform operations in SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration.

To do this in a standalone environment is a bit trickier. Let's try this with SQL Browser first:

1. Open cmd.exe as an administrator.
2. Type the following command: sc <server_name> sdshow <service_name>
3. Copy the string returned to your favorite notepad clone, we will need this string to revert back to prior configuration if this does not work. This is our SDDL string. The next step will be our concatenated SDDL string.
4. Add the following to the end of the string: (A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;NS)
5. Type the following command: sc <server_name> sdset <service_name> <concatenated_SDDL_string>
6. Open SSCM and see if SQL Browser displays as expected.

The two commands run should look something like this:

sc \\my-server sdshow SQLBrowser

sc \\my-server sdset SQLBrowser D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;NS)

In my case there were two instances of the "SQL server Configuration Manager" in SysWOW64. Only the latest version worked. The other version produced the RPC error message.

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\mmc.exe /32 C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\SQLServerManager10.msc FAILED
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\mmc.exe /32 C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\SQLServerManager11.msc WORKED