To fix this, yuo will need access to a database tool such as Enterprise Manager or SQL Server Management Studio. There are 2 things you need to do. The first is to attach the data file and log to the SQL Server. The second is to run the following SQL which will "patch up" the username and server login so that Recorder can use this database:
sp_change_users_login 'update_one', 'nbnuser','nbnuser'

If you post back here some information about which database management tool you have available then I'm sure we can sort out some more specific instructions.

Thanks John and Charles for your guidance. I will report back to let you know the outcome. Charles I would have been lost without you link to SQL Server Management Studio Express and Johns instructions.

Hi Peter,

I have SQL Server Management Studio (not the Express edition) and I've just found out that I can't install the Express edition on the same machine. I'll give you the instructions according to my version, hopefully they will work but if not perhaps someone with SQL Server Management Studio Express can translate them?
Step 1 - attach the database file: Start Management Studio and connect to the SQL Server Instance you want the database to be attached to, using a login that has system administrator rights. If you are a local machine administrator then you ought to be able to just use the Windows Authentication option in the Authentication combo box.
Now, right click on the Databases folder and select Attach. In the following dialog, click the Add button and browse to your database's MDF file then click Ok.
In the Attach Databases screen, select 'sa' in the Owner column of the top grid listing the databases to attach, then click Ok to attach it.
Step 2 - fix the database user and server login. To do this, click New Query, select NBNData from the combo box in the toolbar, type in the following SQL and execute it:
EXEC sp_change_users_login 'update_one', 'nbnuser', 'nbnuser'

That's it - you should now be able to connect to the database using Recorder. Let us know if this isn't clear though,

Regards

Hi Peter,

You should be able to right-click on the NBNData database and detach it, then repeat the process this time being careful to select the owner as 'sa'. Is this what you meant when you said you disconnected and repeated the process?

Hi Peter,

There is another way of changing the owner, that is to run the following Query:

USE NBNData
EXEC sp_changedbowner 'sa'

However, the only thing I can think of that might cause 'sa' not to appear in the list of options when attaching the database is a permissions problem, so it may be that this script will also fail. If it does, let us know the error message.

I'm glad to help,

Assuming that your SQL Server is definitely started, then the first place I would check is your registry to make sure that Recorder is pointing at the right server instance name. The registry setting you need can be found by running regedit and browsing to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Dorset Software\Recorder 6. In this key there is a value for Server Name which should be set to point to the name of the instance you have just setup the Recorder database on.  You should be able to get the correct value for this from the SQL Server Management Studio Express Connect to Server dialog (i.e. the login box) in the Server Name edit box.

Let us know how you get on,

Regards

One more thing to check, if you installed the SQL Server instance directly from disk yourself rather than through the install kit you need to open SQL Server Management Studio express, right click on the server and select Properties. Under Security, please check that the option "SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode" is checked.

Regards

John