Monday, February 09, 2009

Connect to SQL Server using Windows Authentication when computer is not on Active Directory Domain

Steve Novoselac wrote this article over a year ago, and I only found it last week.  Sometimes you aren't logged into the approprate domain, but you are using Windows authentication on the SQL Server.  How can you get SQL Server Management Student (SSMS) to connect to the server when you aren't logged in?

How To: Connect to SQL Server, VS TFS, etc using Windows Authentication when computer is not on Active Directory Domain (XP and Vista!) - stevienova.com

Can't vouch for the XP instructions, but the Vista instructions worked like a charm!  Just create a new SSMS shortcut that looks like this

C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe /netonly /user:domain\user "C:\path to SSMS\Ssms.exe"

Thanks Steve!

Friday, February 06, 2009

Another helpful error message #3

I've posted some interesting error messages in the past, but this is my favorite so far.  I was setting up a test domain (Windows Server 2008), and I wanted it to trust authenticated users from the regular production domain.  I mistyped the domain name, but you wouldn't know that from this!

image001