I'm using SQL Server Management Studio and now at login the Server name is showing an instance of SQL Express which I have uninstalled. I had uninstalled it and then installed SQL Server Eval, but the eval instance does not show up as an option in the dropdown. I've uninstalled everything, including Studio, restarted the server and reinstalled the eval along with Studo, and still the SQLExpress instance is the only option in the dropdown for Server name. Obviously it can't connect.

Would anyone be able to help me understand how to correct that?

PS. After the uninstall/restart/reinstall, I expected the Eval instance to be the only option. Also, I have restarted the Service a number of time.

CodePudding user response：

SSMS caches server names that you connect to, and the "browse for more" doesn't always work.

So just type in the server and optionally the instance name for your new instance to connect.

CodePudding user response：

I continued to search and found a similar issue titled: How to remove "Server name" items from history of SQL Server Management Studio

It simply said I can hit the delete key and it will be gone from history, which is what I did and indeed it is gone. I then navigated to the server name as provided and hit connect, which was successful. I just thought the instance needed to be appended to the server name.