Starting, Pausing, and Stopping SQL Server

Before you log in to an instance of Microsoft® SQL Server™, you need to know how to start, pause, and stop an instance of SQL Server. After you are logged in, you can perform tasks such as administering the server or querying a database.

Using the SQL Server Service

When you start an instance of SQL Server, you are starting the SQL Server service. After you start the SQL Server service, users can establish new connections to the server. The SQL Server service can be started and stopped as a Microsoft Windows NT® 4.0 or Windows® 2000 service, either locally or remotely. The SQL Server service is referred to as MSSQLServer if it is the default instance, or MSSQL$instancename if it is a named instance.

Using SQL Server Service Manager

If you are running Microsoft Windows 98, SQL Server Service Manager can be used start, pause, stop and check the state of local services, though it cannot remotely administer services.

If you have to restart your computer, SQL Server Service Manager appears automatically and the default service is displayed. It is possible to change the default service on the local computer through the SQL Server Service Manager. When you restart the computer, the default service will now be displayed in SQL Server Service Manager. For example, if you change the default service to SQL Server Agent service, and then shut down the computer, the next time you start it, SQL Server Agent service will be displayed in SQL Server Service Manager.

SQL Server Service Manager can also be used to start, pause, or stop an instance of SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services.

To change the default service