Yesterday I’ve installed Foundation 2010 (for hundred and one time) and wanted to connect remotely to integrated SQL engine (basic install) with SQL Server Management Studio Express (free) and I got error message. Actually you can’t connect to WSS database remotely because network connectivity is disabled by default.
But after some late night digging I’ve found magic connection string \\.\pipe\mssql$microsoft##ssee\sql\query (for Sharepoint 2007) or \\.\pipe\mssql$sharepoint\sql\query or <servername>\sharepoint (for Sharepoint 2010) that you can use to connect to the Microsoft##SSEE instance.
Sharepoint Thing 
Great info! Worked like a charm.
You are my hero! I have no idea how you came up with that connection string, but I’m sure it saved me hours of beating my head on a wall! Thanks!
I have crushed my head a long time ago with this. Enjoy 🙂
Found this @ http://channel9.msdn.com/Forums/TechOff/255490-How-to-connect-MICROSOFTSSEE
\\.\pipe\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE\sql\query
Thanks a lot!
Pure gold. Thanks so much. I had trouble connecting to an older Sharepoint v3 on Server 2k3 w/ SQL mgmt studio 2005. This worked.
Excellent – put me on the correct path 🙂
Thank you for the great help!
oh it’s work, amazing.. thanks you..
Thank you very much for this post.I am new to sharepoint . I am struggling a lot for this.
Thanks bbuhac ! That did the trick!
My SharePoint 2007 Server does not have sql management studio installed, do I just download and install sql studio express and which version, also if I install this would it overwrite anything on my current SharePoint 2007 db’s
Hi Dave, U can download it here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt238290.aspx
You, sir.. are my hero. I’M A BELIEVER! MAGIC CONNECTION STRINGS!