Import old database from the crashed SharePoint server

Hi everybody,

I have a SharePoint server have its configuration database, this server is down, when I try to access it it is gives me error:

"Cannot connect to the configuration database"

so I installed WSS 3.0 on another server and I created its configuration database, then I backed the old one up and restored it into the new server, and I have overwritten the old one in the restore action. Now when I open the Central Administration I have an error:

"HTTP/1.1 404 Connection: close Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:00:31 GMT Server: Microsoft-IIS/6.0 X-Powered-By: ASP.NET MicrosoftSharePointTeamServices: 12.0.0.6421"

The event log gives me that details:
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. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)

So... how can I extract the old data from the SharePoint server which is down onto the new fresh one, and how can I solve this problem?

From serverfault $pageUsers[$entry.posts[0].author].name

• On the new box, go to the SQL Config Tools, and the Surface Area Config Manager. Click on Surface Area Config for Services and Connections. In the new window, click on Remote Connections and change it to Local and Remote Connections > TCP/IP only.

  From Dan

• Note the following from Restore a farm by using SQL Server tools (Windows SharePoint Services 3.0):

  You cannot use the Office SharePoint Server 2007 restore feature to restore the configuration database or the Central Administration content database. You cannot use the SQL Server 2005 backup and restore tools to restore your configuration database to a different farm or topology configuration.

  In my experience, moving the configuration database doesn't work too well. I have had more success recreating it using this sort of process.

  However, why don't you look into why the configuration database isn't accessible? It seems like overkill to move the database without troubleshooting the problem first. There should be more details about what the problem is in the ULS logs in the '12 Hive', or perhaps even in the event viewer.

  Alex Angas : Hmmm... well if you are still struggling then recreating the config DB might be the best solution. At least you know that all of the data structures will be consistent and the product will behave as it should.
  From Alex Angas

• Have you tried connecting the farm to the old config database using the psconfig command?

  Something like

  psconfig -cmd configdb -connect -server <yoursqlservername> -database 
  <yourconfigdatabasename> -user <yourusername> -password <youruserpassword> 
  -admincontentdatabase <yourCAcontentdatabasename>
  

  Simon Fox : sorry, missed out the cmd parameter, I have edited and corrected the command above.
  From Simon Fox

• If the old server is still online why not simply figure out why the web farm can't connect to it and restore that connection?

  Can you ping the SQL Server from the web farm? Can you telnet to the SQL Server port?

  mrdenny : Based on all the other problems it sounds like restoring the connection to the old SQL Server may be the easiest option.
  From mrdenny