Excel – Cannot connect to SQL Server from Excel 2007

microsoft-excel-2007sql-server-2008-r2

I am trying to connect to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 from Excel 2007. When it tries to connect I get the error:

[DBNETLIB][ConnectionOpen (Invalid Instance()).]Invalid connection.

Steps to Reproduce

  • On the Data tab, in the Get External Data group, click From Other Sources, and then click From SQL Server:

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  • type the name of the SQL Server computer in the Server name box.

  • To enter a database user name and password, click Use the following User Name and Password, and then type your user name and password in the corresponding User Name and Password boxes:

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Additional information

  • I can connect to SQL Server from SQL Server Management Studio:
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  • I can connect to SQL Server with telnet: 

    C:\Users\Ian>telnet avenger 1433

  • SQL Server is listening on port 1433:
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  • Excel does connect, and receive response traffic from the SQL Server:
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  • I can ping the server: 

    C:\Users\Ian>ping avenger

Pinging avenger.newland.com [192.168.1.244] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.244: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.244: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.244: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128
Reply from 192.168.1.244: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.244:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 1ms, Average = 0ms

  • Trying to connect by IP address (rather than by name) has no effect:
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  • Windows Firewall is not running on the server:
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Best Answer

I would hazard a guess that you're actually using a named instance and the SQL Native client allows you to get away with using AVENGER as the server name but the DBNETLIB (which I believe is the old SQL Client) is more demanding.

Are you sure it's not AVENGER\SQLEXPRESS,1433?

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