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Can't find DNN database with SQL Server Management Studio

Forums > SQL and SQL Server

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MarSim

New Around Here

Posts:2

6/9/2020 11:22 AM

I am a total newbie with DNN. I installed DNN 9.6.1 on my local Windows PC 3 days ago and have only had one major issue. Every morning I attempt to login to my DNN site using the user name "host" and I'm told the password is incorrect. I am certain the password is correct and I have made no changes to the host account or password. So (1): Why is the host password being reset every night?

I researched how to add a new superuser by registering a new user and then changing the superuser flag in the SQLExpress database. But when I attempt to access the database using SQL Management Studio I can't find a DNN database. In the Databases folder I have "System Databases" and "Database Snapshots". In "Databases>System Databases>" I have "Master", "model", "msdb" and "tempdb". None of those DB's contain the DNN tables. So (2) How can I access the DNN database using SQL Management Studio?

My web.config file has the following connection string:

<!-- Connection String for SQL Server 2008/2012 Express -->
 name="SiteSqlServer" connectionString="Data Source=.\SQLExpress;AttachDbFilename=|DataDirectory|Database.mdf;Integrated Security=True;User Instance=True" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />

Sebastian Leupold

Veteran Member

Posts:534

6/9/2020 11:49 AM

Password shouldn't be reset automatically, that sounds weird.
You are using a non-attached database file, residing in /app_data subfolder of your website.
If you open this file in Management Studio (SSMS), it will get attached to the SQL server and cannot be accessed by DNN using the connection string above. You will either need to "detach" the database in SSMS afterwards or need to specify server name, database name, create a user and provide credentials in your connection string.
To Update your password, you need to follow these instructions: https://www.betterhostreview.com/reset-dnn-host-password.html

Joe Craig

Veteran Member

Posts:1234
Veteran Member

6/9/2020 12:59 PM

As you are new to DNN, I'd like to point out that nvQuickSite is a very good tool for installing DNN and creating websites in a standard way. It also creates the database as a SQL Server database.

Oh, the better way to create a new superuser is to create a user using the Users PB page, and then make that user a superuser via the UI.

Recommendateio: until you have some familiarity with DNN, stay away from database modifications using SQL Server. You create less pain that way.

Joe Craig
DNN MVP
Patapsco Research Group

Sebastian Leupold

Veteran Member

Posts:534

6/9/2020 1:10 PM

Joe, it is difficult to use UI, if you can't login.
in this case, he needs to modify values in the database.
However, it might be easier to start DNN installation from scratch using NVQuicksite.

Michael Tobisch

Veteran Member

Posts:1013
Veteran Member

6/10/2020 7:31 AM

I guess that you have a database file that is not attached in your SQL Server. What you could do is:

stop the Application Pool
move the Database.mdf file (and maybe the and Database.ldf file as well when it is there) from your App_Data directory to your SQL Server data directory (or directories when you have data files and log files on different hard disks)
attach the database in SQL Server Management Studio
adjust the connection string
Start the application pool

Or start the installation from scratch - create a database before you start, assign the (dbowner) permissions to the app pool and select the database in the installation process (or use nvQuickSite).

Happy DNNing!
Michael

Michael Tobisch
DNN★MVP

Joe Craig

Veteran Member

Posts:1234
Veteran Member

6/10/2020 3:16 PM

I agree, In fact, it is nearly impossible to login if the site site was set up with the hashed password format.

Is it's new, I would recommend restarting and using nvQuicksite to do the install.

Joe Craig
DNN MVP
Patapsco Research Group

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