cant get SQL server to connect to SSMA

Question

cant get SQL server to connect to SSMA

Judy Graham 0

I don't know enough about SQL Server to really tell you what is going wrong, SSMA won't connect to anything I've downloaded SQL Express twice and I can't seem to get this thing to work, AI keep saying something about a .mof file I can't find on my system, I'm not a SQL wizard or anything I'm a junior level developer that has a background in Game Development and am now tasked with building a corporate level sales database that originally was programed in VBA and access and need to port over to .Net and SQL server

Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-28T21:31:01.6166667+00:00

So what error message do you get?

Did you get SQL Server up and running? Or did installation fail?
Judy Graham 0 Reputation points

2025-08-28T21:37:03.29+00:00

the connect button in SSMA is perpetually greyed out I am a bit lost in it I had the server localhost\SQLEXPRESS running and the associated browser but when i was troubleshooting the greyed out button i changed some settings in the browser and it and the server say status pending and that is when the AI started doing the .mof file fix and i dont know what to do now
Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-28T21:41:59.9433333+00:00

Can you connect to your SQL Server instance from SSMS?

I have not work with SQL Server Migration Assistant, so I don't know why the Connect button is greyed out. But if you share a screenshot, maybe we can see something obvious?
Judy Graham 0 Reputation points

2025-08-28T21:52:35.32+00:00
unfortunately my snipping tool stopped working earlier today and I still haven't figured out why, the AI says that the configuration manager cant do its job in connecting the SSMA and SSMS but as far as getting the SSMS to configure it is working fine it is in the transfer of the database from access to SQL where the issue is occuring, this is the last bit the AI was having me do to trouble shoot the issue

Now Register WMI,

Verify the MOF File Is Present

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Test-Path "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\Shared\sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof"

this returned false which is the last thing I did at the AIs instruction and now it is saying in need files that it provides links to 404 error sites for
Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-28T21:59:24.6833333+00:00

So you can connect to SQL Server with SSMS? If so, just ignore what the AI says. The .mof file might possibly have something to do with if installation fails. (And even then, the AI is spitting out something it does not know anything about.)

If you restart your machine, maybe the snipping tool comes back to life?

In any case, if the Connect button in SSMA does not lit up is not because there is an issue with your Express instance. At that point SSMA does not even know about your instance. Rather that would be due to that there is something you have not filled in.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to assist with such a vague description and no knowledge about the environment. I like to believe that there should be someone in your organisation with some knowledge that should be able to help you.
Judy Graham 0 Reputation points

2025-08-28T22:22:46.1466667+00:00

yea the guy that programmed the database and the sole developer for the company died a few years ago and I got tapped to fill his position but I only ever learned access for databases and it is no longer sufficient for the growing company so now I get to learn on the fly how to take a base level access database and turn it into a corporate level database with low level security, admin interface, and user log in and tracking, fortunately I am familiar with .Net but this transfer is just frustrating me, I guess all I can say is I have SSMA SSMS and the server configuration manager installed the SSMS seem fine I haven't had to trouble shoot anything there yet and the command prompt checks come back clean, I have imported the access database into SSMA and am trying to connect it to the localhost\SQLEXPRESS server but when the window opens I have tried both the windows authentication and SQL authentication in the basic tab and the connect button stays greyed out...the AI says it's because the configuration manager cant connect due that .mof file being missing it was apparently supposed to be a part of SQL Express but like I said, I downloaded it twice and still can't get the file
Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-29T13:39:09.52+00:00

Sad story, but as I said, it is very difficult to assist from vague verbal descriptions. I think you need to get that snipping tool back to life, or in worst case use a camera.

What do you mean with "configuration manager cann connect?"
Shruti Dhruv 875 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-14T05:41:24.5233333+00:00

Hi Judy,

Just wanted to check if your issue was resolved? If not, could you please share the error screenshot so that we can assist you better. This will help us provide more clarity about the issue and would help us to trace the error.

Thank You

Your answer

Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-28T21:31:01.6166667+00:00

So what error message do you get?

Did you get SQL Server up and running? Or did installation fail?
Judy Graham 0 Reputation points

2025-08-28T21:37:03.29+00:00

the connect button in SSMA is perpetually greyed out I am a bit lost in it I had the server localhost\SQLEXPRESS running and the associated browser but when i was troubleshooting the greyed out button i changed some settings in the browser and it and the server say status pending and that is when the AI started doing the .mof file fix and i dont know what to do now
Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-28T21:41:59.9433333+00:00

Can you connect to your SQL Server instance from SSMS?

I have not work with SQL Server Migration Assistant, so I don't know why the Connect button is greyed out. But if you share a screenshot, maybe we can see something obvious?
Judy Graham 0 Reputation points

2025-08-28T21:52:35.32+00:00

unfortunately my snipping tool stopped working earlier today and I still haven't figured out why, the AI says that the configuration manager cant do its job in connecting the SSMA and SSMS but as far as getting the SSMS to configure it is working fine it is in the transfer of the database from access to SQL where the issue is occuring, this is the last bit the AI was having me do to trouble shoot the issue

Now Register WMI,

Verify the MOF File Is Present

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Test-Path "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\160\Shared\sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof"

this returned false which is the last thing I did at the AIs instruction and now it is saying in need files that it provides links to 404 error sites for
Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-28T21:59:24.6833333+00:00

So you can connect to SQL Server with SSMS? If so, just ignore what the AI says. The .mof file might possibly have something to do with if installation fails. (And even then, the AI is spitting out something it does not know anything about.)

If you restart your machine, maybe the snipping tool comes back to life?

In any case, if the Connect button in SSMA does not lit up is not because there is an issue with your Express instance. At that point SSMA does not even know about your instance. Rather that would be due to that there is something you have not filled in.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to assist with such a vague description and no knowledge about the environment. I like to believe that there should be someone in your organisation with some knowledge that should be able to help you.
Judy Graham 0 Reputation points

2025-08-28T22:22:46.1466667+00:00

yea the guy that programmed the database and the sole developer for the company died a few years ago and I got tapped to fill his position but I only ever learned access for databases and it is no longer sufficient for the growing company so now I get to learn on the fly how to take a base level access database and turn it into a corporate level database with low level security, admin interface, and user log in and tracking, fortunately I am familiar with .Net but this transfer is just frustrating me, I guess all I can say is I have SSMA SSMS and the server configuration manager installed the SSMS seem fine I haven't had to trouble shoot anything there yet and the command prompt checks come back clean, I have imported the access database into SSMA and am trying to connect it to the localhost\SQLEXPRESS server but when the window opens I have tried both the windows authentication and SQL authentication in the basic tab and the connect button stays greyed out...the AI says it's because the configuration manager cant connect due that .mof file being missing it was apparently supposed to be a part of SQL Express but like I said, I downloaded it twice and still can't get the file
Erland Sommarskog 137.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-29T13:39:09.52+00:00

Sad story, but as I said, it is very difficult to assist from vague verbal descriptions. I think you need to get that snipping tool back to life, or in worst case use a camera.

What do you mean with "configuration manager cann connect?"
Shruti Dhruv 875 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-14T05:41:24.5233333+00:00

Hi Judy,

Just wanted to check if your issue was resolved? If not, could you please share the error screenshot so that we can assist you better. This will help us provide more clarity about the issue and would help us to trace the error.

Thank You