title: IIS 7 can't connect to SQLServer 2008
body: <p>Sorry if this is the most seen question on the web, but this is my turn. I am trying to publish my asp.net mvc app on IIS 7 under MS Sql Server 2008. I am on a Windows Server 2008 virtual machine. I get the following classical error:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>A network-related or instance-specific
    error occurred while establishing a
    connection to SQL Server. The server
    was not found or was not accessible.
    Verify that the instance name is
    correct and that SQL Server is
    configured to allow remote
    connections. (provider: SQL Network
    Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating
    Server/Instance Specified)</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Under SQLServer, Allow remote connections is checked. My connection string is:</p>
  
  <p>Data Source=.\MSSQLSERVER;Initial Catalog=mydbname;User Id=sa;Password=mypassword</p>
  
  <p>I also tried with no username/password and "Integrated Security=true". There is only one instance of SQLServer installed.
  I tried to access my web page locally and remotely. There is no active firewall on the virtual machine.</p>