[RESOLVED] Can't connect to SQL Server Express 2008 database

[weirddemon]

When trying to connect to a SQL Server Express 2008 database, I receive the following error:

Failed to generate a user instance of SQL Server. Only an integrated connection can generate a user instance. The connection will be closed.

Which occurs on my "connection" line:

Dim connection As New SqlConnection("Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename=dbISTme!.mdf;Integrated Security=False;User ID=test;Password=test1;User Instance=True")
 
        Dim command As New SqlCommand("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Credentials WHERE UserID = @UserID AND Password = @Password", _
                              connection)
 
        With command.Parameters
            .AddWithValue("@UserID", Me.txtUserName.Text)
            .AddWithValue("@Password", Me.txtPasssword.Text)
        End With
 
        connection.Open()
 
        If CInt(command.ExecuteScalar()) = 0 Then
            
        Else
            Me.DialogResult = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK
        End If
 
        connection.Close()]

I've worked with SQL CE databases in the past and I've never had a problem with them. The connection strings are a little bit different, so I think that might have something to do with it.

Originally, I looked up that error and got a whole bunch of nonsense. I found two solutions that worked for most people, but they did not work for me. The fist was an issue with XP and SP2, which I'm Windows 7. The second resolution was to delete the SQLEXPRESS folder.

Then I saw a post from another site:

One thing to remember is that although user instances is the default when working with Visual Studio, it is not mandatory to use them, it is quite possible to attach to databases in the traditional way from SQL Express, to do this you just need to edit the connection string and delete the "user Instance=true". User Instances just make it easier (when it does work) to work with databases as though they were files.

So, I deleted that line and got another error:

An attempt to attach an auto-named database for file dbISTme!.mdf failed. A database with the same name exists, or specified file cannot be opened, or it is located on UNC share.

This seems like the most generic error ever. There's even less information about this error.

I've made sure that the database uses the SQL authentication and not Windows and made sure my user, "test", has the correct permission.

Anyone have any on ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks