INF: Connecting to Standalone SQL Server Using 16-bit Apps.

• Microsoft SQL Server, version 4.21a, 6.00 and 6.50

SUMMARY

You can always connect locally to a SQL Server on a standalone machine through Windows NT's local pipes using 32-bit SQL Server applications. However, you can not do the same from a 16-bit application unless network software is installed.

MORE INFORMATION

On a standalone machine, you can use 32-bit applications to connect to the local SQL Server by specifying server name as <local>, a period (.), or blank. This is possible because of Windows NT's local pipe support. However, the local pipe concept does not apply in Win16 (WOW) environment. To connect to SQL Server from a 16-bit application in WOW, you need to use named pipes, which is not available unless network software is installed.

You can install network software on a standalone machine without any network interface cards (NIC) installed. To do so, you need to install the MS Loopback Adaptor, which is a loopback adaptor driver that "simulates" a NIC. With this driver installed, you can install other network components as you normally do and start network related services as if a NIC is present.

To install the driver, start the Network applet in Control Panel, and select the Add Adaptors option. Select MS Loopback Adaptor from the list.