How To Administer WSUS WSS Using SQL Server Management Studio

Microsoft cautions against “administration” of the Windows Internal Database (WID, formerly named SQL Server Compact Edition or CE) in articles like THIS one.  However, there are time when you may want to gain access to it for things like:

• database moves (because the SQL WID is installed on C: whether you like it or not).
• database shrinks (in the event that you drop a large category, like say you no longer support or patch Office 2003)
• database repairs (say the WSUS database is just plain broken and you need to repair indexes or whatever)
• You are like me and you just hate not seeing what is happening on a server.  

Soooo below is the information you need to connect:

• If you have not already have management tools, download SQL Express 2008 R2 or just the SQL 2008 Express Management Tools from HERE.
• Start SQL Server Management Studio
  • make sure to RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR if you have User Access Control enabled or you will see a message like
        18452 Can not connect to //./pipe/MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE/sql/query
        login failed for user xxxxx
    
• In the SERVER NAME field type //./pipe/MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE/sql/query
  • change the all the forward-slashes to back-slashes
    • sorry but the editor will not let me use back slashes
  • note that you MUST use WINDOWS AUTHENTICATION to see the WSUS WID, SQL Authentication is NOT supported

For more details see these fine article’s:

 http://www.mssqltips.com/tip.asp?tip=1577

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sqlexpress/thread/18e7b6e7-51cf-489b-8337-f58ff93a92d1/