SharePoint 2010: Configure SQL Management Studio Express to Talk to Default Sharepoint Instance - TechNet Articles - United States (English) - TechNet Wiki

Download

• Download and install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express
• Download and install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Toolkit

Configure

Configure the built-in SQL instance for remote management by SQL Server Management Studio Express

1. Open the "SQL server Configuration Manager"
2. Right-click the line "Protocols for MICROSOFT##SSEE" and choose "Properties"
3. Set "hide instance" field is set to "no" instead
4. Under protocols, enable TCP/IP and Named Pipes
5. Restart the microsoft##ssee service

I found the above steps here.

Access the SQL instance using SQL Server Management Studio Express

1. Start SQL Server Management Studio Express
2. Connect to this instance: \\.\pipe\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE\sql\query
3. You may need to check Windows Authentication

I found the instance name here. Now that you have access to the instance you may perform regular tasks to it, such as backing it up, detaching it and so on: Original Content