Troubleshooting: No Process is on the Other End of the Pipe

A client connecting to SQL Server may encounter this named pipe error when connecting to SQL Server if the server has not enabled named pipe support even though other protocols such as TCP/IP are available.

When named pipes are not enabled on the server, client connection attempts using named pipes are rejected. This error can occur in two ways:

  • The client attempts to connect with only named pipes and the named pipes protocol is not enabled on the server.
  • The client attempts to connect with any available protocol, but named pipes is listed before TCP in the client protocol order.

Error Text

Named Pipes Provider: No process is on the other end of the pipe.

Microsoft SQL Native Client : Communication link failure.

Microsoft SQL Native Client : An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections.

Typical Causes of This Error

Cause Resolution

The client is attempting to connect using named pipes, and the server is not configured to allow remote connections using named pipes.

Connect using TCP/IP, or use the Surface Area Configuration tool to enable remote connections using named pipes.

The client protocol order is attempting to connect with the named pipes protocol before trying the TCP protocol, and named pipes are not enabled on the server.

Using SQL Server Configuration Manager on the client computer, move TCP before named pipes in the protocol order list.

See Also

Concepts

Server Network Configuration

Other Resources

SQL Server Surface Area Configuration
Client Network Configuration

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance