Why does my previously working DL-Windows V5 installation now produce an error, stating "Unable to Connect to the Database"?

If DL-Windows has not been launched for a period of time, sometimes only more than a couple of days, Microsoft Windows may decide to conserve computer resources by stopping the service that supports the DL-Windows database. The following message would appear:

Proceed as follows:

1. Verify that the service MSSQL$ALSQLEXPRESS is running (press Ctrl + Shift +Esc to launch Task Manager, then click the Services tab or search for Services).

 

2. With the Services tab open, click the Name header to alphabetize the services. If the Status of the service labeled MSSQL$ALSQLEXPRESS is "Stopped", click the Services button to open a UAC (User Access Control) window. Note: Your MS Windows login status must be a "Local Administrator", or otherwise your login must have the credentials to proceed further. The Services screen is shown below:

3. Right-click the service named SQL Server (ALSQLEXPRESS), shown highlighted in the image above, and click Properties.

4. Click the Start button to start the service.

To prevent this service from being stopped in the future, click the Recovery tab, then click on each pull-down menu for First failure, Second failure and Subsequent failures and change each from Take No Action to Restart the Service as shown in the image below:

Comments

[Kerrie Meyler]

The service is running but I am getting the error screen shown in this thread. Please assist!

[Andy Phelps CRL, CAI]

You did not state whether or not that you have been able to access the software prior to the error showing.
If so, you must make sure that you are using the correct user name and password to open DL Windows and that when you installed the software that you ran the "Server" installation that also installs Microsoft SQL Server Express.
If all those conditions have been met, then you might try deleting the software including SQL and reinstalling. I hope that you had a back up of the data or you will need to start again from scratch. If you don't want to uninstall the software, then you will need to find a computer professional that can help you determine what the cause is that DL Windows will not connect to the database.

[H Wall]

Worked Perfect. After spending many trips to the Microsoft non-help scene. They had 487,000 posts for similar issues. You'd think they would have as concise an answer as you had. Thanks again.
Go Alarm Lock!!!! Maybe don't use SQL Server in the future.

[Cody]

What ended up being the issue?

I have verified all SQL related issues.

Still getting "unable to connect to database..."

Tried both Windows Auth mode and SQL Auth mode, using our credentials as well as default AL credentials.

Nothing worked.

Anti-virus and firewall disabled. Still receiving the same error.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[Andy Phelps]

SQL services are turned off. You must turn on SQL services for DL Windows to work.

[John]

im also having this issue. SQL services are running but still unable to connect.

[Albert]

For anyone else who encounters this issue.

I was also having issues connecting. Reinstalling both DL & SQL didnt help.

I was able to reconnect after uninstalling DL and manually deleting all directories, both in Program Files & programdata.