You open the front door, turn on the lights, put the coffee on and head to the front counter to start EVE and check the classes for tonight.

You click the EVE icon only to see this message: Database error: Cannot connect to the database.  But it was working fine when you left last night!

You are a diver.  Stop - Breath - Think - Act.  The first thing to understand when you see this message is that there is probably nothing wrong with EVE.

This message can take several forms but of late we have received numerous emails in the support queue from customers who cannot login to their database.  The message continues and ends with the following. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error 26 - Error Locating Server / Instance Specified).  The key to the message is error 26

You have likely experienced an automatic update push from Microsoft.  Automatic updates tend to come in the middle of the night but can arrive at any time.

After the update has been installed your computer has to reboot for the updates to take effect.  You will be asked to restart your PC, but if the computer is left unattended for an extended period, such as overnight, Microsoft reboots your computer for you.

While doing the reboot your computer mail fail to restart a necessary tool which allows that computer to talk to the EVE database. Turn it back on and EVE will once again connect.

 Here's how you do it (For Windows 10 and 8 users.  A Windows 7 procedure will appear in a separate Blog):

 1)         Go to the Search the Web and Browser box in the bottom left hand corner of your Windows 10 screen, or the Search Glass in the top right corner of your Windows 8 home screen and search for Component Services.

 2)         Click on Component Services from the list provided

3)         Find SQL Server EVE and SQL Server Browser in the list displayed.  Either or both are probably not running.  If they are not, right mouse click on the file name and click start / restart as appropriate.

 4)         Reboot the PC and go back to this area to check these settings have been retained.

 5)         Open EVE and try to connect to the database.

If the error message you get makes reference to an error other than error 26, or the above procedure does not fix your issue, then by all means email us at support@issys.co.uk with a print screen of the exact error message you are getting.