title: SQL Server connection string troubles
body: <p>I am working on an ASP.NET MVC project, which uses this connection string:</p>
  <pre><code>&lt;add name=&quot;Name&quot; 
       connectionString=&quot;Data Source=.;initial catalog=MyDBName;integrated security=True;multipleactiveresultsets=True;&quot; /&gt;```
  </code></pre>
  <p>Note: the data source value is <code>.</code>, this works but after I reset my pc and reinstalled SQL Server, it no longer works, I get an 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.</p>
  </blockquote>
  <p>until I change the <code>.</code> in the connection string to <code>DESKTOP-1V12LN7\SQLEXPRESS</code>.</p>
  <p>My question is what does the value <code>.</code> in the connection string mean and why doesn't it work after reinstalling SQL Server?</p>