Connectivity Issues On SQL Express 2005 On Vista Business

I read your blogs regularly on SQL-Server Express 2005 which I have been actively deploying with my software product for about a year now. I have migrated most of my products to SQL-Server from Microsoft Access. I have found SQL-Express very stable and have had no significant problems. My products are mainly accounting based such as payroll systems, hotel management systems, school academic results management systems.

My favourite front ends tools are Visual Basic 6.0, and Microsoft Access. Typically, with MS Access I link to tables via the SQL-Server ODBC driver and all the client front ends share a common security file, an access work group file. I have been using this approach for up to a decade with no problems.

Currently I am deploying a hotel management system and payroll system in a hotel about to be opened. Against our advice, they purchased computer systems running Windows Vista Business instead of XP which we are sure our software suites, the wireless network and other software solutions such as CCTV work perfectly. This has caused a lot of problems.

On my side I had the extra task of dealing with Office 2007.
2 key problems arose.

After setting up a simple Ethernet network connecting the Vista computers I could not connect to SQL-Server Express in Windows Authentication mode via SQL Native Client and SQL Server ODBC drivers from another computer on the network (i could only connect locally); I could only connect to it from another machine using SQL Authentication mode, which is not my preference.

Secondly, I could not share the security file with more than one client of the network. The file seems to be locked exclusively by one client that first grabs the file, hence you cannot log on to software. This defeats clientserver idea. HEEEEELP.

A way round this was to have at least one computer on the network running XP (or any windows not Vista) and share the security file from it. I wish to know the reason for this behaviour on Vista.

As to the first problem of not being able to connect of SQL-Server Express 2005 via Windows Authentication mode from another machine on the network, I found the cause: The PASSWORD PROTECTED SHARING setting on Sharing and Discovery option for networking on Windows Vista.

When this setting is turn ON you cannot connect to the SQL-Server engine. The error Login failed for user ": Not associated with a trusted SQL Server connection is given. When I turn off this setting, I immediately could log on. I have validated this on several setups and this seems to the consistent. PLEASE SHARED THIS With others.

Thanks Dr Folami